Meaning & Usage
✨ Basic Meaning
Expresses that something is “exactly like,” “as if,” or “quite as if” something else.
🎯 Primary Function
To strongly emphasize a comparison, often highlighting a hypothetical or contrary-to-fact situation or appearance.
📋 Grammar Structure
まるで + [Nounの] + ようだ / みたいだ
まるで + [Verb Plain Form/Noun/い-adjective/な-adjective stem] + かのように / かのようだ
🎭 Usage Contexts
Formal Situations
Can be used, particularly with かのように or formal forms of ようだ.
Informal Situations
Common, especially with みたいだ.
Written Language
Frequently used in descriptive writing, literature, and essays.
Spoken Language
Common in conversation to make vivid comparisons and express strong feelings.
💡 Common Applications
Describing appearance or state
Used to describe something that looks or is in a state that strongly resembles something else.
Example: 空はまるで海のようだった。 (Sora wa marude umi no you datta.) – The sky was just like the sea.
Describing feelings or sensations
Used to express that one feels exactly as if they are in a certain state or situation.
Example: 試験が終わって、まるで肩の荷が下りたみたいだ。 (Shiken ga owatte, marude kata no ni ga orita mitai da.) – The test is over, and I feel as if a weight has been lifted from my shoulders.
Describing actions or behavior (often hypothetical/contrary-to-fact)
Used to describe actions performed as if a certain (often untrue or unstated) condition were met. This often uses かのように (ka no you ni) or かのようだ (ka no you da).
Example: 彼女はまるで何もなかったかのように振る舞った。 (Kanojo wa marude nani mo nakatta ka no you ni furumatta.) – She acted as if nothing had happened.
Frequency
Moderately frequent in both spoken and written Japanese.
Difficulty
N3
Example Sentences
彼の話はまるで絵を見ているかのようだった。
His story was just like watching a painting.
疲れて、まるで何も考えられない。
I’m so tired, it’s as if I can’t think at all.
彼女の歌声はまるで天使のようだった。
Her singing voice was just like an angel’s.
Notes & Nuances
📌 Important Points
まるで always appears before the comparison phrase.
まるでは単体で意味をなさず、必ず後ろに「ようだ」「みたいだ」「かのように」などを伴います。
Example: まるで雪のようだ。 (Marude yuki no you da.) – It’s just like snow. (NOT 雪のまるでようだ。)
Emphasizes a strong resemblance or hypothetical state.
この文型は、単なる比喩ではなく、「本当にそうであるかのように見える」「まるで現実のように感じる」という強い強調を含みます。
Example: ただの風邪なのに、まるで死ぬかのように苦しんでいる。 (Tada no kaze na noni, marude shinu ka no you ni kurushinde iru.) – Even though it’s just a cold, he’s suffering as if he’s dying.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❌ Using まるで without a following comparison phrase.
✅ まるでの後に必ず「ようだ」「みたいだ」「かのように」などを加える。
まるでは副詞なので、単独で文を終えることはできません。
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🏛️ Cultural Context
Politeness Level: Neutral to slightly literary/emphatic.
Social Situations: Used in various situations to make descriptions more vivid.
Regional Variations: None notable for the basic usage.
🔍 Subtle Differences
まるで vs. ようだ / みたいだ
まるで strengthens the comparison made by ようだ or みたいだ.
When to use: Use まるで when you want to emphasize that the resemblance is very strong or the hypothetical situation feels very real. Use ようだ/みたいだ for a standard comparison.
まるで～ようだ/みたいだ vs. まるで～かのように
～かのように often implies that the comparison is contrary to fact or a hypothetical state/action.
When to use: Use かのように when describing an action or state that is presented as if true, but is likely not the case (e.g., acting as if nothing happened when something clearly did). Use ようだ/みたいだ for descriptions of appearance, feeling, or state that strongly resemble something else.
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📝 Conjugation Notes
まるでは副詞なので活用しません。後続の「ようだ」「みたいだ」「かのように」が活用します。
🔊 Pronunciation Tips
まるでの「ま」と「る」ははっきり発音し、アクセントは「ま」に置くことが多いです。
🧠 Memory Tips
Think of まるで as adding “exactly” or “totally” to the comparison made by ようだ or みたいだ. まるで + 比較 (hikaku – comparison).
Practice Exercises
Select the correct particle to complete the sentence: 彼の部屋はまるで倉庫＿＿＿ようだ。
と
が
の
に
Choose the most appropriate phrase to follow まるで: 彼女は＿＿＿＿何も聞こえないかのようだった。
本当に
静かに
耳が悪いので
始めから
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