Common Usage & Traps
- 怎么样 — how about / how is it
- 一样 — same / alike
- 这样 — this way / like this
- 那样 — that way / like that
- 样子 — appearance / look
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一样和和...一样Learners may place 一样 before 和, but the correct structure is 和...一样 (A 和 B 一样).
样
Origin & Mnemonic:
Acorn or oak fruit. Shape, style, model, sample, appearance, or manner. Wood (木) carved into the shape of a sheep (羊) as a visual model.
What is the difference between 样 and 像?
样 means 'appearance' or 'kind', while 像 means 'to resemble' or 'like'.
样 (yàng) is a noun that refers to appearance, shape, or kind, and is often used in fixed phrases like 怎么样 (how about) or 一样 (same). 像 (xiàng) is a verb or preposition meaning 'to be like' or 'to resemble', used to compare two things. They are not interchangeable.
| Dimension | 样 | 像 |
|---|---|---|
| Part of speech | Noun | Verb / Preposition |
| Meaning | Appearance, kind, way | To resemble, like |
| Example | 他怎么样？ (How is he?) | 他像他爸爸。 (He looks like his dad.) |
Can 样 be used alone as a standalone word?
No, 样 is almost always bound and appears in compounds or fixed phrases.
In modern Mandarin, 样 is rarely used as a standalone noun. It typically appears in set phrases like 怎么样, 一样, 这样, 那样, or in the noun 样子. Using it alone would sound unnatural.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Usage | In compounds (怎么样, 一样) | Standalone (e.g., 这个样) |
| Example | 你怎么样？ (How are you?) | 这个样 (unnatural) |
Appears in Stories 1 story
This short, simple story follows a shopper's trip to the supermarket to buy apples. You'll learn useful vocabulary for shopping, prices, and comparing things.
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我问超市的人小苹果 怎么样 ？
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