JLPT N1 Very formal / literary

A no gotoki B

Expresses 'like' or 'as if'; something/someone resembles something else strongly.

Very formal, literary "like/as if" - echoes classical Japanese; rare outside formal writing.

Formation

Explanation

The のごとき pattern is used to convey the concept of 'just like' or 'as if'. The comparison here is strong, indicating that the thing/person is very similar to or almost the same as the thing/person compared to. It is a bit archaic and thus is more often found in writings than in everyday conversation.

Example sentences

  • He is an existence like a god.

    Kare wa kami no gotoki sonzai da.

  • Her beauty is like a flower.

    Kanojo no utsukushisa wa hana no gotoki mono da.

  • He acted like a devil.

    Kare wa akuma no gotoki koudou o shita.

  • This region has a climate like spring.

    Kono chiho wa haru no gotoki kiko da.

Resemblance (Like / As If)