We have seen many cases now where the auxiliary verb
ようだ may be modified slightly to show that something is being done ‘in a way’ that will bring about a specific outcome. In this lesson, we will look at how
ような (when used with nouns), or
ように (when used with verbs) may be used with almost any noun/verb, to show that they are being done/existing in a particular manner.
-
彼（かれ）は亀（かめ）のように走（はし）る。
He runs like a turtle.
-
バケツをひっくり返（かえ）したように雨（あめ）が降（ふ）っている。
It is raining like a bucket was flipped over. (It’s pouring rain)
-
彼（かれ）の車（くるま）は工場（こうじょう）のような臭（にお）いがする。
His car smells like a factory. (His car has an industrial smell)
-
キトウ先生（せんせい）は鬼（おに）のような怒（おこ）り方（かた）をする。
The way Kito-sensei gets mad is like a demon.
Sometimes, this structure is used purely to express the speaker’s uncertainty about whether (B) really is being done/existing in the way of (A). In these cases,
ように (or
ような) will be translated as ‘as if’, or ‘as though’.