Likening things with 〜みたい

Grammar: Appearance

2019年02月23日

2026年08月11日

〜みたい compares one thing to another. It often translates as “like” or “looks like”.

Meaning

Think of みたい as saying “this reminds me of that”. The speaker uses one thing as a reference point to describe another, not as an exact match. The comparison can be fanciful and does not need to be literally true.

あの雲(くも)は魚(さかな)みたいだ。

That cloud looks like a fish. (shape/appearance)

夢(ゆめ)みたいな話(はなし)だね。

That’s a dream-like story. (unrealistic/wonderful)

子供(こども)みたいに泣(な)かないで。

Don’t cry like a child. (behavior/manner)

The word before みたい is the model for the comparison. In 魚(さかな)みたい, the speaker uses a fish to describe something else.

In casual speech, people often leave off だ at the end: 夢(ゆめ)みたい. In polite speech, みたいです is used.

Formation

View formation details

The comparison word comes immediately before みたい, and it works after nouns, verbs, adjectives, and even whole clauses. The particle appended to みたい changes depending on what follows.

comparison + みたいだ (or です)
- この部屋(へや)はホテルみたいだ
- "This room is like a hotel."
- Note: In casual speech, だ is often dropped.
comparison + みたいな + noun
- ホテルみたいな部屋(へや)
- "a room like a hotel"
comparison + みたいに + verb
- 先生(せんせい)みたいに話(はな)す
- "speak like a teacher"
comparison + みたいに + adjective
- ライオンみたいに強(つよ)い
- "strong like a lion"

Types of Comparison

1. Appearance (Looks Like)

あの雲(くも)、うさぎみたい！ That cloud looks like a rabbit!

The cloud is being compared with a rabbit because of its shape.

2. Behavior (Manner)

子供(こども)みたいに走(はし)り回(まわ)っている。 They’re running around like kids.

The people are not children. Their behavior is childlike.

3. Atmosphere (Feeling)

このカフェ、森(もり)みたいだね。 This café is like a forest, isn't it?

The café may have plants, dim lighting, and wood tones that make it resemble a forest.

A Different Use of みたい

This page explains the comparison use of みたい.

みたい can also be used to express an impression or guess:

雨(あめ)が降(ふ)るみたい。 It looks like it’s going to rain.
彼(かれ)は来(こ)ないみたいだ。 It seems he isn’t coming.

In these cases, みたい does not compare one thing to another. It expresses the speaker’s impression or conclusion.

ようだ / ような / ように
- Similar but often more formal or literary.
〜っぽい
- “-ish” (more casual/slangy, often negative or approximate).
〜らしい
- Hearsay or typical of ~.

Examples

Want to submit a manga example for this grammar?

A little sister like Chino with 〜みたい

Grammar Explanation: Likening things with 〜みたい

During a group study session, Chino finds Syaro a much better teacher than Cocoa.

シャロ:: 「うれしいっ」; “I'm so happy!”; 「チノちゃんみたいな妹(いもうと)がいたら毎日(まいにち)だって教(おし)えるのに」; “If I had a little sister like Chino, I'd teach her (homework material) every day.”