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N4

らしい ②

typical of, -ish・like, appropriate for, becoming of, befitting

トムは本当ほんとうに男おとこらしいね。

Tom, you are really manly.

Explanation

Noun+「らしい」 means 'typical of' or 'true to', and the whole word works as an い-adjective. It says that the person or thing really has the typical qualities expected of that role or kind: 「男らしい」 (manly), 「子供らしい」 (childlike), 「プロらしい態度」 (a professional attitude).

Uses: 「女らしい人」; 「自分らしく生きる」 (live as yourself); 「今日は春らしい一日だ」 (It's a spring-like day today).

Mixed up with

Unlike 「みたい/のようだ」: 「Aらしい」 means the subject really is A and shows A's typical traits; 「Aのようだ/Aみたいだ」 means it is not A, just compared to A. Saying 「男らしい」 about a man praises his manliness; saying 「男みたいだ」 about a woman means she is like a man (cool, strong), though she is still a woman.

Both kinds can follow a noun. 「彼は学生らしい」 can be ① 'he seems to be a student' (guess/hearsay) or ② 'he is very student-like'. Tell them apart by meaning: ① negates as 「学生じゃないらしい」, ② as 「学生らしくない」; ② can also be 「学生らしい服」 'clothes befitting a student'.

Examples

  1. タケル君くんはもうお兄にいちゃんなので、お兄にいちゃんらしくしなさい!

    Takeru, you are already an older brother, so you should act like an older brother!

  2. やっと10月じゅうがつらしい天気てんきになったね。

    It has finally become October-like weather, don't you think?

  3. 「もっと大人おとならしくしなさいよ!」

    'Act more like an adult!'

Tested 2 times in past papers

N3 · Jul 2014, Q40N2 · Dec 2012, Q39