HSK Guide

好像 hǎoxiàng — it seems, apparently

hǎoxiàng (third tone, dipping)hao3xiang4

it seems, apparently

HSK 3· HSK 1–4 (classic)Level 3· Three-band, nine-level standardadverbverb
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Meanings

  1. it seems, apparently

    Marks what you say as an impression rather than a fact — the ordinary way to be tentative in Mandarin. It goes before the verb, not at the end of the sentence.

    adverb

  2. to be like, to resemble

    verb

    With a noun it means plain resemblance — 他好像他爸爸, "he looks like his father." 像 alone does the same work and is more common in that sense.

Character breakdown

  • 好
    hǎo (third tone, dipping) hào (fourth tone, falling)

    good, fine, well; easy to do; (hào) to be fond of, to like

    6 strokes⿰女子Radical 女

Example sentences

  • 外面好像下雨了。Wàimiàn (fourth tone, falling) hǎoxiàng (third tone, dipping) xià (fourth tone, falling) yǔ (third tone, dipping) le. (neutral tone)···

    It looks as though it has started raining outside.

  • 我好像在哪儿见过你。我好像在哪兒見過你。Wǒ (third tone, dipping) hǎoxiàng (third tone, dipping) zài (fourth tone, falling) nǎr (third tone, dipping) jiànguo (fourth tone, falling) nǐ. (third tone, dipping)···

    I feel as if I have met you somewhere before.

Common mistakes

  • Not quite他今天不来好像。

    Correct他今天好像不来。

    好像 is an adverb, so it sits before the verb it softens. English can put "it seems" at either end; Mandarin cannot.

Similar words

Words containing 好