似ている

§ 似ている in the Workplace

You'll often hear 似ている in a professional setting when comparing different products, ideas, or even people's skills. It's a useful phrase for pointing out similarities without necessarily implying they are identical.

DEFINITION

Similar; resembling.

Let's say you're in a meeting discussing a new project, and someone presents a proposal. You might hear or use 似ている to comment on how it relates to previous work.

Hint: "This new proposal is quite similar to the previous project, isn't it?"

§ 似ている in School

In a school environment, 似ている is common when comparing historical events, mathematical problems, or even literary themes. It helps students draw connections and understand concepts better.

Hint: "The past failure that succeeded and the current situation are very similar."

You might also hear it when describing people, like classmates or teachers.

Hint: "His face resembles his father's."

§ 似ている in the News

News reports often use 似ている when drawing comparisons between current events and past occurrences, or when describing things that bear a resemblance to something else. This can be for analytical purposes or simply to make information more relatable to the audience.

Hint: "This economic crisis is largely similar to that of the 1990s."

It can also be used in reporting about trends or new developments.

Hint: "The latest smartphone has several functions that are similar to previous models."

Understanding 似ている will help you better grasp nuances in various Japanese contexts, from formal discussions to casual conversations.

• Use 似ている to describe resemblances.
• It can be used for people, objects, or abstract ideas.
• Pay attention to particles like に (“ni”) which often precedes it to specify what something is similar to.

§ Don't Confuse 似ている with 似合う (niau)

Many learners mix up 似ている (niteiru), which means 'similar' or 'resembling', with 似合う (niau), which means 'to suit' or 'to look good on someone'. While both words involve a sense of 'fitting' or 'matching', their applications are quite different. 似ている describes a similarity between two or more things, while 似合う describes how well something (like clothes or a hairstyle) suits a person.

Correct Usage

Use 似ている to state that two things share common characteristics or appearance.

Hint

Her and her mother are very similar, aren't they?

Now, let's look at 似合う:

Hint

That red dress really suits you.

§ Incorrectly Using Particles with 似ている

When using 似ている, the particle that often comes before the object of comparison can be tricky. Learners sometimes mistakenly use particles like を (o) or へ (e) instead of に (ni) or と (to).

When you want to say 'A is similar to B', you typically use B に 似ている or B と 似ている.

• Using に (ni): This particle emphasizes the point of comparison or the thing being resembled.

  Example

  この絵は有名な画家のスタイルに似ています。

  Hint

  This painting is similar to the style of a famous artist.

• Using と (to): This particle is more general and suggests a 'with' or 'and' relationship, implying a comparison between two entities.

  Example

  彼の話し方は父親とよく似ています。

  Hint

  His way of speaking is very similar to his father's.

Avoid using を (o) or へ (e) directly before 似ている, as these particles typically indicate direct objects or direction of movement, which doesn't fit the meaning of 'being similar to'.

§ Omitting the 〜ている Ending

Remember that 似ている is an い-adjective form that expresses a state of being similar. Sometimes learners might drop the 〜ている part, saying just 似る (niru).

Why it's a mistake

似る (niru) is the plain verb 'to resemble' or 'to become similar'. While technically correct in some contexts (like 'they will become similar'), it doesn't convey the ongoing state of 'being similar' that 似ている does. Most often, when you want to say something 'is similar', you need the 〜ている form.

Hint

His opinion is similar to mine. (Correct)

Saying 彼の意見は私の意見と似る would sound unnatural in most common situations where you mean 'is similar'.