Grammar › Manner & Implication
じみる — “looking like, taking on the air of”
Says something has visibly taken on the qualities or appearance of another thing
Noun + じみる (from 染みる, “to be steeped/dyed in”) says something has visibly taken on the look or feel of the named thing — often in a slightly critical or knowing way, e.g. 芝居じみた態度 (a theatrical, overdramatic attitude), 年寄りじみた話し方 (a way of talking that sounds old-fashioned). It usually appears as じみた modifying a noun.
How to form it
| Pattern | Example |
|---|---|
| Noun + じみた + noun | 芝居じみた態度 — a theatrical, overdramatic attitude |
Example sentences
| Japanese | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 彼の言い訳は子供じみていた。 | かれのいいわけはこどもじみていた。 karenoiiwakehakodomojimiteita。 | His excuse sounded childish. |
| 彼女は年寄りじみた口調で話す。 | かのじょはとしよりじみたくちょうではなす。 kanojohatoshiyorijimitakuchoudehanasu。 | She speaks in a way that sounds old beyond her years. |
| あの芝居じみた演技はわざとらしかった。 | あのしばいじみたえんぎはわざとらしかった。 anoshibaijimitaengihawazatorashikatta。 | That theatrical performance felt forced. |
🔊 Tap any Japanese sentence to hear it; kanji link to their study pages.
Watch out
じみる almost always carries a mildly critical, knowing tone — it points out that something merely resembles the real thing (often in an exaggerated or put-on way), not that it genuinely is that thing.