처럼
처럼: Like / As — Similarity
Like / as — marks that something resembles the noun before 처럼.
How to form it
| When | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | N처럼 | 아이처럼 / 사진처럼 |
| With 같다 often nearby | N처럼 … | 모델처럼 보여요 |
처럼 means like / as — resemblance, not a scoreboard.
아이처럼 웃어요 — smiles like a child. Not “more than a child.” Dictionary: resembles or matches the preceding noun. The particle’s job is simple; the damage comes from swapping it with ranking 보다 or “try” -어 보다.
What it does — claim likeness
사진처럼 예뻐요.
구름처럼 부드러워요.
친구처럼 편하게 말해요.
모델처럼 보여요.이다 identifies (is a teacher). 처럼 only claims resemblance (like a teacher). You do not need 더 for basic likeness — 더 pairs naturally with ranking.
Forms — noun host
| Shape | Use |
|---|---|
| N처럼 | like N |
Dictionary 처럼 follows nouns. *먹다처럼 is not the beginner pattern. Clause likeness (…는 것처럼) comes later — learn noun + 처럼 first.
Not 보다 (than)
| Particle | Job |
|---|---|
| 보다 | than — ranking |
| 처럼 | like — similarity |
서울이 부산보다 커요. bigger than Busan
부산이 서울처럼 커요. big like SeoulEnglish “compare” covers both. Korean picks the particle by whether you mean rank or resemble.
Not -어 보다
-어 보다 is the “try it” helper (입어 봐도 돼요?). Same unit titles sometimes show both 보다 spellings; 처럼 is unrelated to trying clothes on.
Practice rule: if you mean resemblance to a noun, N처럼. If you mean “more than,” 보다. If you mean “try doing,” -어 보다.
Do not confuse it with
Taught alongside this
On the jabi learning path, this appears in 이 원피스를 입어 봐도 돼요? (Can I try on this dress?) — Beginner Korean 2, Unit 16, on the theme of garments. These come with it:
Words used above
Quick check
No sign-up, no score saved — just see if it stuck.
1. What does 처럼 mark?
2. 처럼 vs 보다?
3. Which is natural?
Common questions
Can I put 처럼 on a verb?
Dictionary 처럼 follows nouns. For clause likeness you need a nominalised shape (…는 것처럼) — learn noun + 처럼 first.
처럼 vs -어 보다?
eo-boda is 'try doing.' Same unit title may show 입어 보다; that is not 처럼.
처럼 vs 이다?
ida identifies ('is a teacher'). 처럼 only claims resemblance ('like a teacher').
Do I need 더 with 처럼?
더 pairs naturally with ranking (boda). 처럼 does not need 더 for basic likeness.
Seen in the wild
Lessons where this pattern showed up in real Korean — news, slang, drama lines.
