样子

• Pinyin: yàng zi
• Hanzi breakdown: 样 = 木 (wood) + 羊 (phonetic) — a wooden model or pattern; 子 = noun suffix

Meaning

Appearance, look, or manner. Describes how something or someone looks or seems.

This word is used to describe both physical appearance and the way something seems. Common patterns include 什么样子 (shénme yàngzi, what does it look like) and 看样子 (kàn yàngzi, it looks like/it seems). It can also express manner or fashion, as in 这个样子 (zhège yàngzi, like this). Related words include 模样 (múyàng, appearance) which is slightly more literary.

Examples

1. 他高兴的样子让大家都笑了。 His happy appearance made everyone laugh.
2. 这个地方还是以前的样子。 This place still looks the same as before.
3. 看样子明天要下雨了。 It looks like it's going to rain tomorrow.

Usage Guide

Context: descriptions, observations

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 她今天的样子很好看。(She looks great today.)
• 看样子他不太高兴。(It seems like he's not very happy.)

Don't Say

• 你的样子是什么？ (Unnatural phrasing — say 你长什么样子？ or 你是什么样子的？; the verb 长 or the structure 是...的 is needed when asking about appearance)

Origin & History

A compound of 样 (yàng, shape/pattern) and 子 (zi, noun suffix). The character 样 originally combined 木 (mù, wood) and 羊 (yáng, sheep/phonetic), referring to a wooden pattern or model.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal