HSK 6 · VERSION 2.0#96

Comparing “sìhū” and “hǎoxiàng”

似乎 vs 好像

sìhū vs hǎoxiàng

How it works

Both 似乎 (sìhū) and 好像 (hǎoxiàng) express uncertain impression or tentative judgment, similar to “it seems” or “as if.”

However:

似乎 (sìhū) is more formal, more written, and often more objective in tone.

好像 (hǎoxiàng) is more common in spoken Chinese and often more colloquial and personal.

从他的语气判断，他似乎已经对这件事有了自己的结论。

Cóng tā de yǔqì pànduàn, tā sìhū yǐjīng duì zhè jiàn shì yǒu le zìjǐ de jiélùn.

Judging from his tone, he seems to have already formed his own conclusion about the matter.

这件事表面上已经结束了，但很多问题似乎并没有真正得到解决。

Zhè jiàn shì biǎomiàn shàng yǐjīng jiéshù le, dàn hěn duō wèntí sìhū bìng méiyǒu zhēnzhèng dédào jiějué.

This matter appears to have ended on the surface, but many problems seem not to have been truly solved.

他今天看起来好像有点儿累，不过精神状态还算稳定。

Tā jīntiān kàn qǐlái hǎoxiàng yǒudiǎnr lèi, búguò jīngshén zhuàngtài hái suàn wěndìng.

He looks like he is a little tired today, though his mental state is still fairly stable.

我总觉得事情没那么简单，背后好像还有别的原因。

Wǒ zǒng juéde shìqing méi nàme jiǎndān, bèihòu hǎoxiàng hái yǒu bié de yuányīn.

I always feel that things are not that simple; there seems to be some other reason behind them.

似乎 (sìhū) is more formal and written. 好像 (hǎoxiàng) is more natural in everyday speech.