Meaning & Usage
✨ Basic Meaning
To look like, to seem like, or to appear to be.
🎯 Primary Function
To express a subjective judgment or inference about a situation, state, or action based on visual or sensory observation.
📋 Grammar Structure
Verb (Plain Form) + ように見える
I-Adjective (Plain Form) + ように見える
Na-Adjective Stem + な + ように見える
Verb/Adjective (Negative Plain Form) + ように見える
🎭 Usage Contexts
Formal Situations
Used respectfully, often in business reports or formal descriptions where a subjective assessment is required.
Informal Situations
Extremely common in daily conversation when commenting on people or situations.
Written Language
Used in descriptive narrative, essays, and journalism.
Spoken Language
Very frequent, used to share personal observations and inferences.
💡 Common Applications
Expressing Inferred States (Based on Observation)
Used to make an inference about a hidden state or condition based on external appearance, body language, or observable circumstances.
Example: 彼は何かを隠しているように見える。 (He looks like he is hiding something.)
Describing the Appearance of Attributes
Used to comment on the apparent difficulty, size, quality, or other attributes of an object or situation.
Example: この仕事は思ったより難しいようには見えない。 (This job doesn’t look as difficult as I thought.)
Expressing Contrast or Discrepancy
Often used in conjunction with conjunctions like 「のに」 or 「だが」 to highlight a contrast between reality and appearance.
Example: 疲れているのに、全然眠くないように見える。 (Even though she is tired, she doesn’t seem sleepy at all.)
Frequency
High in descriptive speech and writing
Difficulty
N3-N2 (Intermediate to Upper Intermediate)
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Example Sentences
Example #1
彼は今日、とても疲れているように見える。
Furigana: かれはきょう、とてもつかれているようにみえる。
Romaji: Kare wa kyō, totemo tsukarete iru yō ni mieru.
English: He seems very tired today.
Example #2
政治家のスピーチは嘘であるように見えた。
Furigana: せいじかのスピーチはうそであるようにみえた。
Romaji: Seijika no supīchi wa uso de aru yō ni mieta.
English: The politician’s speech appeared to be a lie.
Example #3
会議は間もなく終わるように見える。
Furigana: かいぎはまもなくおわるようにみえる。
Romaji: Kaigi wa mamonaku owaru yō ni mieru.
English: It looks like the meeting will end soon.
Example #4
状況にかかわらず、彼女は全然悲しくないように見える。
Furigana: じょうきょうにかかわらず、かのじょはぜんぜんかなしくないようにみえる。
Romaji: Jōkyō ni kakawarazu, kanojo wa zenzen kanashiku nai yō ni mieru.
English: Despite the situation, she doesn’t look sad at all.
Example #5
遠くから見ると、複雑な数式は簡単なように見えた。
Furigana: とおくからみると、ふくざつなすうしきはかんたんなようにみえた。
Romaji: Tōku kara miru to, fukuzatsu na sūshiki wa kantan na yō ni mieta.
English: From a distance, the complicated equation seemed simple.
Example #6
あの家は空っぽで、打ち捨てられているように見える。
Furigana: あのいえはからっぽで、うちすてられているようにみえる。
Romaji: Ano ie wa karappo de, uchisuterarete iru yō ni mieru.
English: That house appears to be empty and abandoned.
Example #7
彼女はその話題を話したくないように見える。
Furigana: かのじょはそのわだいをはなしたくないようにみえる。
Romaji: Kanojo wa sono wadai o hanashitaku nai yō ni mieru.
English: It looks like she doesn’t want to talk about that topic.
Example #8
彼は初心者だが、プロのように道具を扱うように見える。
Furigana: かれはしょしんしゃだが、プロのようにどうぐをあつかうようにみえる。
Romaji: Kare wa shoshinsha da ga, puro no yō ni dōgu o atsukau yō ni mieru.
English: Even though he’s a beginner, he handles the tool like a professional.
Example #9
窓は壊れているように見えるが、ただの反射だ。
Furigana: まどはこわれているようにみえるが、ただのはんしゃだ。
Romaji: Mado wa kowarete iru yō ni mieru ga, tada no hansha da.
English: The window looks broken, but it’s just a reflection.
Example #10
彼女が笑うとき、とても美しいように見える。
Furigana: かのじょがわらうとき、とてもうつくしいようにみえる。
Romaji: Kanojo ga warau toki, totemo utsukushii yō ni mieru.
English: When she smiles, she looks very beautiful.
Notes & Nuances
📌 Important Points
Subjective Inference vs. Fact
「ように見える」 emphasizes that the conclusion is a subjective inference based on the *appearance* or behavior, not a simple statement of fact. It’s softer and more tentative than a direct statement.
Example: 彼は幸せそうに見える。 (He looks happy – direct observation.)
Distinction from Simple Comparison (〜のように)
Do not confuse ように見える (seems like) with ように (like/in the manner of). ように見える is for inference; ように is often for similarity of action.
Example: 彼は部長のように、仕事を完璧にこなす。 (He handles the work perfectly, like a manager.)
Intransitive Nature of 見える
「見える」 is an intransitive verb meaning “to be visible” or “to appear.” Since it already means “to appear,” it should not be used in the passive voice. The particle ‘に’ is necessary to function as an adverbial modifier (seemingly).
Example: あの店は閉店するように見えた。(Ano mise wa heiten suru yō ni mieta.)
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❌ あの人は忙しいように見える。(Ano hito wa isogashii yō ni mieru.)
✅ あの人は忙しいように見える。(Ano hito wa isogashii yō ni mieru.)
Incorrectly using the Na-adjective stem alone. The ‘な’ or a formal structure (e.g., である) is necessary to properly modify ‘ように’.
❌ Using ように見える when direct sensory evaluation (like taste or immediate mood) is intended.
✅ あの本は面白そうだ。(Ano hon wa omoshiro-sō da.)
While both express appearance, 〜そうだ is typically for direct visual judgment (looks yummy, looks heavy), whereas ように見える is for a more complex inference (seems like they are plotting, seems like the economy is improving).
❌ 彼は社長のように見える。(Kare wa shachō no yō ni mieru.) – *Requires の/である for proper Noun connection.*
✅ 彼は社長であるかのように振る舞った。(Kare wa shachō de aru ka no yō ni furumatta.)
When connecting a Noun, either the particle の or a more formal structure like 「である」 is required before ように見える. Simply attaching Noun+ように is incorrect.
🏛️ Cultural Context
Politeness Level: Standard polite or neutral (based on the ending of 見える/見えます). The structure itself is not inherently honorific or humble.
Social Situations: Appropriate in almost all social situations for expressing an observation or opinion in a tentative, non-assertive way.
Regional Variations: Standard across Japan. Some regions might substitute with local dialect equivalents for “seem/look.”
🔍 Subtle Differences
〜そうだ (Sō da)
そうだ is used for direct visual observation (e.g., looks delicious, looks like rain), often focusing on immediate sensory input. It’s more certain and immediate.
When to use: Use そうだ when the judgment is immediate and sensory (e.g., judging appearance, taste, or a sudden change).
〜らしい (Rashii)
らしい means “it seems/I heard” and is based on hearsay, external information, or reputation, not necessarily visual evidence. It implies a degree of reliability or objectivity.
When to use: Use らしい when reporting information heard from others or when making an inference based on general knowledge or secondary evidence.
〜かのように (ka no yō ni)
This structure carries a stronger sense of comparison, often implying that the appearance is deceptive or highly exaggerated (“as if X were true”).
When to use: Use かのように when emphasizing a strong, sometimes false, similarity or comparison.
📝 Conjugation Notes
The structure ‘ように’ acts as a fixed adverbial phrase modifying the verb ‘見える’ (to be seen/appear). The verb ‘見える’ itself conjugates for tense, negation, and politeness (e.g., 見える, 見えました, 見えない, 見えません). The preceding phrase must always be in the plain form.
🔊 Pronunciation Tips
The ‘ni’ in ように is pronounced clearly. The entire phrase should flow naturally. The verb 見える conjugates like an Ichidan verb.
🧠 Memory Tips
Think of ように見える as “in a way that is visible to me.” You (様 – state/manner) ni (particle) mieru (is visible). The structure forces you to state the underlying condition (Plain Form) that is *causing* the observation.
Other Grammar
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