Meaning & Usage
โจ Basic Meaning
“Looks like,” “seems like,” or “appears to be.” This expresses an impression or conjecture based on immediate observation.
๐ฏ Primary Function
To make a conjecture or express an appearance based on direct visual evidence or immediate sensory input.
๐ Grammar Structure
Verb Masu-stem (drop ใพใ) + ใใใซ/ใใใช
i-adjective stem (drop the final ใ) + ใใใซ/ใใใช
na-adjective stem (drop the ใช) + ใใใซ/ใใใช
Verb/Adjective stem + ใชใใใใซ/ใใใช (The negative form ใชใ changes to ใชใใใ)
๐ญ Usage Contexts
Formal Situations
Used respectfully, often combined with polite endings (e.g., ใใใใงใ, ใใใใซ่ฆใใพใ).
Informal Situations
Used casually in everyday speech (e.g., ็พๅณใใใ๏ผ).
Written Language
Used in narrative and descriptive writing to set a scene or describe characters.
Spoken Language
Very common for conveying immediate impressions and reactions.
๐ก Common Applications
Describing a person’s visible emotional state.
Used when you see someone and judge their current condition or mood based on their appearance. (e.g., happy-looking, sad-looking).
Example: ๅฝผใฏใจใฆใๅ
ๆฐใใใซ่ฆใใพใใ
Modifying a noun to describe its visual quality.
The ‘ใใใช’ form functions as a na-adjective to describe the appearance of the following noun.
Example: ใใใฏ็ฐกๅใใใชๅ้กใ ใ
Expressing an action is imminent (about to happen).
Used with a verb stem to indicate that an action or change is on the verge of occurring (e.g., about to break, about to rain).
Example: ้ชใ้ใใใใงใใญใ
Frequency
High
Difficulty
Intermediate (N4-N3)
Tag:
Example Sentences
Example #1
ๅฝผใฏๆฅฝใใใใซ่ฉฑใใฆใใพใใ
Furigana: ใใใฏใใฎใใใใซใฏใชใใฆใใพใใ
Romaji: Kare wa tanoshi-sล ni hanashite imasu.
English: He is talking happily (in a way that looks happy).
Example #2
ใใใฏใใใใใใชใฑใผใญใ ใญใ
Furigana: ใใใฏใใใใใใชใฑใผใญใ ใญใ
Romaji: Kore wa oishi-sล na kฤki da ne.
English: This is a delicious-looking cake, isn’t it?
Example #3
ๅฝผๅฅณใฏๆฒใใใใช้กใง็งใ่ฆใใ
Furigana: ใใฎใใใฏใใชใใใใชใใใงใใใใใฟใใ
Romaji: Kanojo wa kanashi-sล na kao de watashi o mita.
English: She looked at me with a sad-looking face.
Example #4
้จใ้ใใใใซใชใฃใฆใใพใใใ
Furigana: ใใใใตใใใใซใชใฃใฆใใพใใใ
Romaji: Ame ga furi-sล ni natte kimashita.
English: It looks like it’s about to rain.
Example #5
ใใฎ่ท็ฉใฏ้ใใใชๆใใใใใ
Furigana: ใใฎใซใใคใฏใใใใใชใใใใใใใ
Romaji: Sono nimotsu wa omo-sล na kanji ga suru.
English: That luggage has a heavy-looking feeling.
Example #6
ๅญไพใใกใฏๅฌใใใใซใใฌใผใณใใ้ใใใ
Furigana: ใใฉใใใกใใใใใใใซใใฌใผใณใใใใใใ
Romaji: Kodomo-tachi wa ureshi-sล ni purezento o aketa.
English: The children opened the presents happily/in a happy-looking way.
Example #7
ๅฝผใฏใใคใๆใใใซ่ฆใใพใใใๅฎใฏๅฟใใใงใใ
Furigana: ใใใฏใใคใใฒใพใใใซใฟใใพใใใใใคใฏๅฟใใใงใใ
Romaji: Kare wa itsumo hima-sล ni miemasu ga, jitsu wa isogashii desu.
English: He always looks unoccupied/free, but he is actually busy.
Example #8
ใใฎใใฝใณใณใฏใใๅฃใใใใชๆฐใใใใ
Furigana: ใใฎใใฝใณใณใฏใใใใใใใใชใใใใใ
Romaji: Kono pasokon wa mล koware-sล na ki ga suru.
English: I feel like this computer is about to break.
Example #9
ๅฝผใใฏๆฅฝใใใใชๆ
่กใฎ่จ็ปใ็ซใฆใฆใใใ
Furigana: ใใใใฏใใฎใใใใชใใใใใฎใใใใใใใฆใฆใใใ
Romaji: Karera wa tanoshi-sล na ryokล no keikaku o tatete iru.
English: They are making travel plans that look like fun.
Example #10
ๅฝผๅฅณใฏ่จใใซใใใใซ็ๅฎใๆใกๆใใใ
Furigana: ใใฎใใใฏใใใซใใใใซใใใใคใใใกใใใใ
Romaji: Kanojo wa ii-nikusล ni shinjitsu o uchiaketa.
English: She revealed the truth reluctantly (in a way that looked difficult to say).
Notes & Nuances
๐ Important Points
Cannot be used for the speaker’s own condition.
You cannot use ใใใ /ใใใซ/ใใใช to describe your own appearance or emotional state. Use the plain adjective/verb instead (e.g., ็งใฏๅฟใใใงใ).
Example: ็งใฏๅฟใใใใ ใ(I look busy.)
Functions as a na-adjective or adverb.
The ‘ใใใช’ form functions identically to a na-adjective, connecting directly to the noun it modifies.
Example: ๅ
ๆฐใใใชไบบ (Genki-sล na hito)
Verb form expresses imminence.
When attached to verbs, it specifically conveys the sense of being “about to” happen or “on the verge of” happening.
Example: ้ใใใ (Furi-sล) / ๅฃใใใ (Koware-sล)
โ ๏ธ Common Mistakes
โ ใใใใใใ (Oishii sล)
โ
Oishisล.
When conjugating i-adjectives, the final ใ must be dropped before attaching ใใ. Do not say ใใใใใใ.
โ ใใใใชใใใ (Samukunai sล)
โ
Samukunasa-sล.
For negative forms, the ใชใ (nai) must be replaced by ใชใใใ (nasasล).
โ ๆฅฝใใใใจ่ฉฑใ (Tanoshisล to hanasu)
โ
Tanoshisล ni.
ใใใซ functions as an adverb, modifying the verb that follows. Therefore, it requires the particle ใซ.
๐๏ธ Cultural Context
Politeness Level: Neutral to Polite. The politeness depends on the final predicate (e.g., ใงใ/ใพใ vs. plain form).
Social Situations: Appropriate in almost all social situations as it simply describes perception. However, avoid using it to describe your superiorโs feelings, as it might imply an inappropriate level of judgment.
Regional Variations: Standard across all regions of Japan.
๐ Subtle Differences
ใใใ (sล da – appearance) vs. ใใใ (yล da – seeming)
ใใ (Sล) is a stronger, immediate judgment based on direct observation. ใใ (Yล) is a weaker conjecture based on inference, external information, or comparison.
When to use: Use ใใ when you look at something and make a direct visual judgment (e.g., seeing a crack and judging it is about to break). Use ใใ when you infer a situation (e.g., inferring someone’s busy because they haven’t replied to emails).
ใใใช (sล na) vs. ใใใ (rashii)
ใใใช describes the *physical* appearance of something. ใใใ means ‘it appears to be’ or ‘typical of’, based on what is generally known or heard, not necessarily direct visual proof.
When to use: Use ใใใช for visual descriptions (e.g., a delicious-looking cake). Use ใใใ to describe something that fits the stereotype (e.g., a student-like life ใใใ็ๆดป).
๐ Conjugation Notes
The particle ใซ is necessary when ใใ is modifying a verb (adverbial function). The particle ใช is necessary when ใใ is modifying a noun (adjectival function). The main exception is ่ฏใ (good), which changes to ใใใใ (yosasล).
๐ Pronunciation Tips
Pronounce ‘sล’ with a long ‘o’ sound (ใฝใฆ) to distinguish it clearly from the particle ‘zo’ or other similar sounds. The accent is generally flat.
๐ง Memory Tips
Think of ‘Sล’ as ‘show’ โ it describes what is showing or visible. ‘Sล na’ describes a Noun (Na-adjective function). ‘Sล ni’ describes an Action/Verb (Ni-particle/Adverb function).
Other Grammar
Iโm a software engineer based in Japan, with experience in developing web and mobile applications. Iโm passionate about technology, especially in DevOps, AI, and app development using platforms like AWS, Flutter, and Node.js. My goal is to build a website that shares knowledge about the Japanese language and IT, helping everyone learn and grow more easily in the digital era.