How to use 像；不像
A + 像 + B + 一样 + predicate; A + 不像 + B + 这么 / 那么 + predicate
像 introduces something used as a model for comparison. Adding 一样 and a following predicate identifies the particular quality or behavior the comparison concerns. The resemblance may involve personality, skill, appearance, or the manner of an action. This lets a sentence go beyond saying that two things simply look alike and specify how they resemble each other.
The negative pattern 不像 followed by 这么 or 那么 can compare degrees: the first item does not reach the second item's level in the stated quality. Do not assume that 不像 alone always means less than; it can simply deny resemblance. The words following the comparison establish which interpretation is intended.
Examples with pinyin and English
她有时候像小孩一样天真。
She's as naive as a little kid sometimes.
这个老外的汉语像中国人一样地道。
This foreigner can speak Chinese as fluently as native speakers do.
他很生气， 像疯子一样大叫起来。
He was very angry and started to scream like a lunatic.
你怎么像我妈一样啰嗦！
Why do you sound as nagging as my mom!
高铁不像飞机那么快。
High-speed trains are not as fast as airplanes.
What to remember
- State the quality after 像…一样.
- Use 不像…那么 to compare a degree.
- Let the predicate define the relevant similarity.
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Source and editorial notes
Explanation rewritten for Laowai. Examples are adapted from the Laowai English grammar curriculum, with editorial corrections where needed. The original curriculum credits AllSet Learning’s Chinese Grammar Wiki as used with permission. Read the retained source credits.
Difficulty labels describe the level of the explanation; they are not official HSK placement. Send a correction with this page’s URL.