犹如 (yóu rú) — Chinese Word

verb / conjunction HSK 5

Traditional 猶如

yóu rú

to be like · to be as if · just as · just like

Meaning

犹如 is a literary conjunction meaning 'just like' or 'as if,' used to draw comparisons or similes. It has a formal, somewhat poetic register and appears more frequently in written Chinese than casual speech. The word emphasizes the similarity or resemblance between two things in a vivid, descriptive way.

Usage

犹如 is primarily used in formal writing, literary works, news reports, and formal speeches. In everyday conversation, native speakers typically use simpler alternatives like 像 or 好像. It often appears in the pattern '...犹如...' to create elegant comparisons.

Examples

01
这座城市的夜景犹如璀璨的星空。
Zhè zuò chéngshì de yèjǐng yóu rú cuǐcàn de xīngkōng.
The night view of this city is like a brilliant starry sky.
02
他的话语犹如一股暖流温暖了我的心。
Tā de huàyǔ yóu rú yī gǔ nuǎn liú wēnnuǎn le wǒ de xīn.
His words were like a warm current that warmed my heart.

Characters

Common collocations

犹如...一般
yóu rú ... yī bān
just like...
犹如...似的
yóu rú ... shì de
as if...

Origin

Both characters have ancient origins. 犹 originally meant 'hesitate' or 'still,' while 如 meant 'to go to' or 'to be like.' Together they formed a literary expression for comparison that has been used in classical Chinese for over two thousand years.