connective N4 essential casualpolitewritten
ように — like ~ / so that ~
ように
Builds on ようだ
Meaning
① like / as (resemblance & manner): like ~ / as ~ — comparing one thing to another, or following an example
② so that / in order to (purpose): so that ~ / in order to ~ — a hoped-for result, with a potential or negative verb
Key sentence
① like / as (resemblance & manner)
彼は子どものように笑った。
He laughed like a child.
② so that / in order to (purpose)
みんなに聞こえるように、大きな声で話した。
I spoke in a loud voice so that everyone could hear.
Formation
| Attaches to | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun (resemblance) | N + のように ／ のような | 夢のように |
| Verb — potential / negative (purpose) | V(potential/ない) + ように | 見えるように ／ 遅れないように |
Examples
① like / as (resemblance & manner)
雪のように白い。
White as snow.
私が言ったように、やってみてください。
Please try it the way I said.
② so that / in order to (purpose)
忘れないように、メモしておく。
I'll make a note so I don't forget.
風邪を引かないように、気をつけて。
Take care so you don't catch a cold.
When you can't use it
- Purpose ように follows a non-volitional verb — a potential (できるように), a state, or a negative (忘れないように). For a purpose you actively choose to carry out, use ために instead: ×日本へ行くように貯金する → ○行くために. so that / in order to (purpose)
Easily confused with
ために Both mean 'in order to', but ように takes potential/non-volitional verbs (話せるように) while ために takes volitional, controllable ones (合格するために). ようだ Same よう root: ようだ = 'it seems / looks like'; ように = 'like / so that' (the adverbial use). 〜みたい For 'like ~', みたい is the casual-spoken equivalent of のように/のような: 子どもみたい ≈ 子どものよう.
See ように in real sentences
Jengo shows ように the way you actually meet it: inside real Japanese sentences, so it sticks instead of staying an abstract rule.
Study it in JengoSources Compiled with reference to A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar, A Dictionary of Intermediate Japanese Grammar.