似 (sì): to resemble; to be similar to

Meanings

1 to resemble; to be similar to
2 to seem; to appear
3 -like; as if
4 more (...) than (literary comparison)

Characters

似

sì

to resemble; to seem

Examples

他似乎不高兴。

Tā sìhū bù gāoxìng.

He seems unhappy.

这两个很相似。

Zhè liǎng gè hěn xiāngsì.

These two are very similar.

好似做梦一样。

Hǎosì zuòmèng yīyàng.

It's like being in a dream.

Tips

usage

Default reading sì covers all the comparison / appearance senses. Showpiece compounds: 似乎 (it seems), 相似 (similar), 类似 (analogous), 好似 (as if), 酷似 (closely resembling). In literary style sì can also mean 'more than' (胜似).

register

A second reading 似 (fourth tone) exists ONLY in one fixed structure: 似的, the colloquial comparison particle meaning 'like / as if'. It always follows a noun or descriptive phrase - 高兴得像孩子似的 (happy like a child). Everywhere else, the reading is sì.

Components

radical

亻 rén

person

Person radical on the left signals that 似 is about how people look, behave, or compare - 'A resembles B' usually applies to humans first. It indexes 似 alongside other comparing/judging human-verbs: 仿 to imitate, 仪 manner, 像 to resemble. The radical adds a human gaze to the abstract resemblance image.

phonetic

以 yǐ

to use; with (here phonetic)

Right is 以 'with, by means of', supplying the sound - yǐ drifting to sì (and shì in 似的). 以 historically pictured tools or implements; here the role is mostly phonetic. Person + tool gives the loose mnemonic: comparing one person to another by holding them up like measuring sticks.