Japanese Grammar N4: ように / ような (Youni / Youna)

By /
Japanese Grammar N4: ように / ような (Youni / Youna)
Meaning & Usage

✨ Basic Meaning

Like; as; similar to.

🎯 Primary Function

To make comparisons, describe appearances, or provide examples.

📋 Grammar Structure

Verb (Plain/Dictionary form) + ように/ような
i-Adjective + ように/ような
na-Adjective + な + ように/ような
Verb (nai-form) + ように/ような

🎭 Usage Contexts

🏢 Formal Situations

Commonly used in speeches and presentations to explain complex ideas using analogies.

😊 Informal Situations

Used frequently in daily conversation to describe things more expressively.

✍️ Written Language

Very common in literature and essays for descriptive purposes.

🗣️ Spoken Language

Used in both casual and polite speech; ‘mitai’ is a more casual alternative.

💡 Common Applications

Similes & Metaphors
Comparing one thing to another to create a vivid description.
Example: まるで夢のようです (It is just like a dream).
Giving Examples
Using ‘youna’ to introduce a specific example within a category.
Example: 京都のような古い町が好きです (I like old towns like Kyoto).
Following Instructions
Indicating that an action should be performed in a specific manner or following a pattern.
Example: 私が言うように書いてください (Please write as I say).
📊
Frequency
Very High
🎚️
Difficulty
JLPT N4 (Intermediate)
Tag:

Related Kanji

JLPT N4 Kanji List

Related Vocabulary

JLPT N4 Vocabulary List
Example Sentences
Example #1
田中さんは魚のように泳げます。
Furigana: たなかさんはさかなのようにあよげます。
Romaji: Tanaka-san wa sakana no you ni oyogemasu.
English: Mr. Tanaka can swim like a fish.
Example #2
夢のような生活をしたいです。
Furigana: ゆめのようなせいかつをしたいです。
Romaji: Yume no you na seikatsu o shitai desu.
English: I want to live a dream-like life.
Example #3
彼女の手は氷のように冷たいです。
Furigana: かのじょのてはこおりのようにつめたいです。
Romaji: Kanojo no te wa koori no you ni tsumetai desu.
English: Her hands are as cold as ice.
Example #4
彼女は太陽のような人だ。
Furigana: かのじょはたいようのようなひとだ。
Romaji: Kanojo wa taiyou no you na hito da.
English: She is a person who is like the sun.
Example #5
今から見せるようにやってください。
Furigana: いまからみせるようにやってください。
Romaji: Ima kara miseru you ni yatte kudasai.
English: Please do it just as I show you now.
Example #6
彼は子供のように泣いた。
Furigana: かれはこどものようにないた。
Romaji: Kare wa kodomo no you ni naita.
English: He cried like a child.
Example #7
お茶のような飲み物が欲しいです。
Furigana: おちゃのようなのみものがほしいです。
Romaji: Ocha no you na nomimono ga hoshii desu.
English: I want a drink like tea or coffee.
Example #8
先生が教えたように、練習してください。
Furigana: せんせいがおしえたように、れんしゅうしてください。
Romaji: Sensei ga oshienta you ni, renshuu shite kudasai.
English: Please practice as the teacher taught you.
Example #9
雪のように白い紙。
Furigana: ゆきのようにしろいかみ。
Romaji: Yuki no you ni shiroi kami.
English: The paper is as white as snow.
Example #10
彼のように日本語が上手に喋れるようになりたい。
Furigana: かれのようににほんごがじょうずにしゃべれるようになりたい。
Romaji: Kare no you ni Nihongo ga jouzu ni shabereru you ni naritai.
English: I want to be able to speak Japanese fluently like him.
Notes & Nuances

📌 Important Points

‘Youna’ modifies Nouns
Use ‘youna’ when the word following it is a noun.
Example: 京都のような町 (A town like Kyoto)
‘Youni’ modifies Verbs/Adjectives
Use ‘youni’ when the word following it is a verb or adjective.
Example: 鳥のように飛ぶ (Fly like a bird)

⚠️ Common Mistakes

❌ 子供ように (Kodomo you ni)
✅ 子供のように (Kodomo no you ni)
When using a noun with ‘you ni/na’, you MUST include the particle ‘no’.
❌ 氷のように手 (Koori no you ni te)
✅ 氷のような手 (Koori no you na te)
‘Youna’ is for modifying nouns, ‘youni’ is for modifying verbs/adjectives.

🏛️ Cultural Context

Politeness Level: Neutral to Polite. It is considered slightly more formal and ‘softer’ than the casual ‘mitai’.
Social Situations: Safe to use in all social settings.
Regional Variations: Standard across Japan.

🔍 Subtle Differences

ように vs みたいに
‘Youni’ is more formal and used in written Japanese; ‘Mitaini’ is very casual and mostly spoken.
When to use: Use ‘youni’ in essays, speeches, or with superiors. Use ‘mitai’ with friends.

📝 Conjugation Notes

Noun + の + ように (Adverbial) / ような (Adjectival). Verb + ように / ような. Adjectives follow standard modifier rules before ‘you’.

🔊 Pronunciation Tips

Keep the ‘u’ in ‘you’ long (yoo-ni / yoo-na). Avoid clipping the vowel.

🧠 Memory Tips

Think of ‘youna’ as ending with ‘a’ like ‘adjective’ (modifies nouns), and ‘youni’ as ending with ‘i’ (modifies verbs). Also, always remember the ‘no’ for nouns!

Other Grammar

Related Posts

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top