N4
らしい ②
typical of, -ish・like, appropriate for, becoming of, befitting
トムは本当に男らしいね。
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'.