跟……似的 (similar to)

• Pinyin: gēn...shìde
• Formation: 跟 + Noun / Pronoun / Clause + 似的
• Hanzi breakdown: 跟 = 足 (foot) + 艮 (stubborn/tough); 似 = 亻(person) + 以 (by means of)

Meaning

The structure 跟……似的 is used to express that someone or something resembles or is similar to another person, thing, or quality. It creates a vivid comparison, often with a slightly colloquial or emphatic tone.

跟……似的 is a colloquial comparison structure predominantly used in northern Mandarin, particularly in Beijing dialect. It functions similarly to 像……一样 but carries a more vivid, sometimes exaggerated or slightly disapproving tone. The 似的 (shìde) at the end is a particle that marks resemblance. While 像……一样 is neutral and universally used, 跟……似的 often implies the speaker finds the resemblance noteworthy or surprising. It can be used with nouns, pronouns, or clauses. In written Chinese, 似的 can also follow 好像 in literary contexts, but the 跟……似的 frame is distinctly oral.

Examples

1. 他跑得飞快，跟一阵风似的。 He ran incredibly fast, like a gust of wind.
2. 她今天打扮得跟明星似的，特别漂亮。 She dressed up like a celebrity today — absolutely stunning.
3. 你怎么跟没听见似的，叫你半天了。 How come you're acting like you didn't hear? I've been calling you for ages.

Usage Guide

Context: spoken, colloquial, northern dialect

Tone: vivid

Do Say

• 这孩子聪明得跟小大人似的，说话一套一套的。
• 今天热得跟蒸笼似的，出门就一身汗。
• 他紧张得跟第一次上台似的，手心全是汗。

Don't Say

• 他跟似的很高。(似的 must follow a noun or clause that states what is being compared to — it cannot appear without a comparison object) → 他跟竹竿似的，又高又瘦。
• 跟下雨似的，我带了伞。(跟……似的 creates a comparison, not a causal relationship — use 因为 or 要是 for causal or conditional meaning) → 因为要下雨，我带了伞。

Origin & History

似的 derives from classical Chinese 似 (to resemble), combined with the structural particle 的. The 跟……似的 frame became especially productive in northern Mandarin dialects, where it serves as a vivid colloquial alternative to the more standard 像……一样 comparison.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal