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"To Be Like" "Similar to" Cheat Sheet (DRAFT) by

The Differences between みたいな vs ような vs らしい vs っぽ

This is a draft cheat sheet. It is a work in progress and is not finished yet.

みたい “A is like” “Acts like”

(A) は (B) みたい
(A) みたいな (B)
(Noun) みたいに (Verb/Adj)
"A is like B"
"B that is like A"
"Verb like ... "
みたい is used as predicate.
みたいな is used to modify a noun
みたいに is used to modify a verb
ミサはイタリ­ア人みたい。 Misa is like an Italian.
犬みたいなねこ。 A cat (that acts) like a dog.
ミサはイタリ­ア人み­たいに話す。 Misa talks like an Italian.
   
子どもみたい­に遊んだ。 I played like a kid.
**
❗️❗️みたい acts like an adjective; hence, can be used as predicate and be put at the end of the sentence.

“To become like”

(Noun) + みたいになる
(Noun) + みたいになりたい
"To become like "
"Want to become like "
俺みたいになるな! Please don't be like me.
べんごしみた­いになりたい。 I want to become like a lawyer.

“A that is similar to B”

(A) は (B) のようです
(A) ような (B)
(Noun) のように (Verb)
"A that is similar to B"
"B that is like A"
"Verb like "
のよう is used as predicate.
ような is used to modify a noun
Changing ように to an adverb when modifying a verb
あのねこは犬­のようです。 That cat is like a dog.
犬のような猫。 A cat that is like a dog.
ミサはイタリ­ア人の­ように­話します。 Misa talks like an Italian.
*
❗️❗️のよう acts like an adjective; hence, can be used as predicate and be put at the end of the sentence.

“Is like; -ish”

(Noun) + らしい
(Noun) らしく (Verb)
(Noun) + っぽい
“is like; -ish; is acting like” (Acts the way it should)
"­(Verb) like..."
“is like; -ish; is acting like” (Acts like something else)
-Acting like he’s supposed to be; Approp­ria­tely; stereo­typ­ically
-Changing らしく to an adverb when modifying a verb
-Sometimes acting like it should­n't­"
-Acting the way it should or how stereo­typ­ically people think they do
(Usually) acting opposite of how they should
-Not always opposite / negative; can mean has a trait similar to something
みさはこどもらしい。 Misa acting like a child. (like she should be as she is one)
日本人らしく­はしで食べる。 I eat with chopsticks like a Japanese person (should).
みさはこどもっぽい。 Misa is childish. (not acting like she’s supposed to be)
女らしい。 Womanly (Feminine)
おとなっぽい。 (They're) so grown up / mature. (positive)
男らしい。 Manly (Mascu­line)
あの猫は犬っぽい。 That cat is (acting) like a dog.
*
らしい is an い-adje­ctive; hence, can be used as predicate and be put at the end of the sentence.