Definition
看似 (kàn sì) means 'to seem, to look as if', but it strongly implies that the appearance is deceptive or misleading — what seems true is actually not. It is more formal and literary than 好像 (hǎo xiàng) and 看来 (kàn lái), which are neutral and common in everyday speech. Unlike 显得 (xiǎn de), which describes an outward appearance that matches the situation, 看似 often contrasts with reality.
verb
to look as ifto seem (often implying the appearance is deceptive)
Examples
- 看似，。Tā kàn sì hěn yǒuhǎo, qíshí hěn nán xiāngchǔ.He seems very friendly, but is actually hard to get along with.
- 看似，。Zhège fāng'àn kàn sì wánměi, dàn hái yǒu bù shǎo wèntí.This plan seems perfect, but there are still quite a few problems.
- 看似，。Tā kàn sì píngjìng, nèixīn què fēicháng jǐnzhāng.She looks calm, but inside she's very nervous.
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