像

• Pinyin: xiàng
• Hanzi breakdown: 像 = 亻(person radical) + 象 (elephant/image, phonetic)

Meaning

To resemble; to be like. Used to draw comparisons between people or things.

A very common verb used for comparisons and similes. Can be used as a verb (她很像她妈妈) or as a preposition meaning 'like' (像他一样). Also appears in 好像 (to seem/apparently) and 想象 (to imagine). Not the same as 象 (elephant), though they share an etymological origin.

Examples

1. 他长得很像他爸爸。 He looks a lot like his father.
2. 今天的天气像夏天一样热。 Today's weather is as hot as summer.
3. 她笑起来像一朵花。 When she smiles, she looks like a flower.

Usage Guide

Context: comparison, description, daily conversation

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 你像你妈妈一样漂亮。(You are as pretty as your mother.)
• 这道菜味道像我小时候吃的。(This dish tastes like what I ate as a child.)

Don't Say

• 他像是老师 when meaning 他是老师 (Don't use 像 when stating a fact — 像 implies resemblance or uncertainty; say 他是老师 for 'he is a teacher')

Origin & History

Originally related to 象 (xiàng, elephant). In ancient Chinese, 象 meant 'image/likeness' because elephants were depicted in artwork. The 亻(person radical) was added to create 像, emphasising resemblance between people or things.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal