如: as if, like

如 rú

verb | preposition | conjunction
: as; as if
: if; supposing
: such as, like

Kun Reading

如 | ごと goto

adverbial noun
: like; similar to; same as

如く | しく shiku

godan verb with ku ending | intransitive verb
: (Archaism) to match; to equal
: to catch up with; to overtake

如し | ごとし gotoshi

noun | suffix
: like; as if; the same as

如き | ごとき gotoki

noun | suffix
: like; similar to; same as

如く | ごとく gotoku

adverb
: like; similar to; same as

如果 ru2guo3: if; in case; in the event that

如何 ru2he2: how; what way; what
[如何 | どう dou OR いか ika OR いかが ikaga OR いかん ikan: how; in what way; how about]

無論如何 [无论如何] wu2 lun4 ru2 he2: anyhow; anyway; whatever

如今 ru2jin1: nowadays; now

如此 ru2ci3: in this way; so

如下 ru2xia4: as follows

例如 li4ru2: for example; for instance; such as

不如 bu4ru2: not equal to; not as good as; inferior to; it would be better to

比如 bi3ru2: for example; for instance; such as

假如 jia3ru2: if

譬如 pi4ru2: for example; for instance; such as

Japanese common word | expression | yojijukugo 四字熟語 | idiom | proverb
如意自在 | にょいじざい nyoi jizai
: (yoji) freely; in complete control of; with complete freedom; at will; as one pleases

突如異変 | とつじょいへん totsu joihen
: (yoji) sudden and dramatic event (incident); sudden and strange phenomenon

生死一如 | せいしいちにょ seishi ichinyo
: (yoji) Life and death are the two faces of the same coin

物心一如 | ぶっしんいちにょ busshin ichinyo
: (yoji) Matter and mind are one; body and mind as one

邪正一如 | じゃしょういちにょ jashou ichinyo
: (yoji) Wrong and right are but two faces of the same coin

如何とでも | どうとでも dou to demo: one way or the other; either way
如何しても | どうしても doushitemo: by all means; at any cost; no matter what; after all; in the long run; cravingly; at any rate; surely
如何の斯うの | どうのこうの douno kouno: this and that; one thing or another
如何あっても | どうあっても douattemo: whatever the case (used in neg. sentences); under any circumstances
如何かこうか | どうかこうか doukakouka: somehow or other

如何にして | いかにして ikani shite: how; in what way
如何による | いかんによる ikanni yoru: depending on the …; to depend on the …

用心するに如くはない | ようじんするにしくはない youjin suru ni shiku wa nai
: (proverb) Caution is the best policy

百聞は一見に如かず | ひゃくぶんはいっけんにしかず hyakubun wa ikken ni shikazu
: seeing is believing; one eye-witness is better than many hearsays; a picture is worth a thousand words

読んで字の如く | よんでじのごとく yonde ji no gotoku
: literally; self-explanatory

光陰矢の如し | こういんやのごとし kouinya no gotoshi
: time flies like an arrow; time and tide wait for no man; life is short

三十六計逃げるに如かず | さんじゅうろっけいにげるにしかず sanjuurokkei nigeru ni shikazu
: the smartest thing in a tight situation is to beat a retreat (run / escape)

例によって例の如し | れいによってれいのごとし rei ni yotte rei no gotoshi
: as always; the same as it always is

子を見る事親に如かず | こをみることおやにしかず ko o miru koto oya ni shikazu
: (proverb) The parent is the best judge of the child

歳月流るる如し | さいげつながるるごとし saigetsu nagaru rugotoshi
: Time flies

水の低きに就くが如し | みずのひくきにつくがごとし mizu no hikuki ni tsuku ga gotoshi
: Water seeks its own level

禍福は糾える縄の如し | かふくはあざなえるなわのごとし kafuku wa azanaeru nawa no gotoshi
: fortune and misfortune are intertwined; fortune and misfortune come by turns; good luck and bad luck alternate (like the strands of a rope); good and bad fortune are next-door neighbors

過ぎたるは猶及ばざるが如し | すぎたるはなおおよばざるがごとし sugitaru wa naooyobazaru ga gotoshi
: the last drop makes the cup run over; too much of a good thing; less is more

金窩銀窩不如自己的狗窩 [金窝银窝不如自己的狗窝] jin1 wo1 yin2 wo1 bu4 ru2 zi4 ji3 de5 gou3 wo1
: there’s no place like home

動かざること山の如し | うごかざることやまのごとし ugokazaru koto yama no gotoshi
: in being immobile be like a mountain (from Sun Tzu); being imperturbable; immobile like a mountain (from laziness, etc.)

傍らに人無きが如し | かたわらにひとなきがごとし katawarani hito naki ga gotoshi
: (proverb) behaving outrageously as though there were no one around; doing whatever one wants even though others may be watching

Chinese common word | chengyu 成語 | expression | idiom | proverb
如坐針氈 [如坐针毡] ru2 zuo4 zhen1 zhan1
: lit. as if sitting on pins and needles; fig. to be in an uncomfortable situation

如意算盤 [如意算盘] ru2 yi4 suan4 pan2
: counting one’s chickens before they are hatched

如意郎君/ ru2 yi4 lang2 jun1
: ideal husband; “Mr. Right”

浩如煙海 [浩如烟海] hao4 ru2 yan1 hai3
: vast as the open sea; fig. extensive (library)

易如反掌 yi4 ru2 fan3 zhang3
: easy as a hand’s turn; very easy; no effort at all

文如其人 wen2 ru2 qi2 ren2
: the writing style mirrors the writer

料事如神 liao4 shi4 ru2 shen2
: to prophesy with supernatural accuracy; to have an incredible foresight

日月如梭 ri4 yue4 ru2 suo1
: the sun and moon like a shuttle. How time flies!

愛之如命 [爱之如命] ai4 zhi1 ru2 ming4
: inordinately fond of something; lit. to love it as one’s life

愛人如己 [爱人如己] ai4 ren2 ru2 ji3
: love others as self

愛財如命 [爱财如命] ai4 cai2 ru2 ming4
: lit. to love money as much as one’s own life; fig. avaricious; tightfisted

福如東海 [福如东海] fu2 ru2 dong1 hai3
: may your happiness be as immense as the East Sea

禽獸不如 [禽兽不如] qin2 shou4 bu4 ru2
: worse than a beast; to behave immorally

空空如也 kong1 kong1 ru2 ye3
: as empty as anything; completely bereft; to have nothing; vacuous; hollow; empty (argument, head etc)

突如其來 [突如其来] tu1 ru2 qi2 lai2
: to arise abruptly; to arrive suddenly; happening suddenly

玉露如珠 yu4 lu4 ru2 zhu1
: jade dew like pearls

爛醉如泥 [烂醉如泥] lan4 zui4 ru2 ni2
: lit. as drunk as mud; completely drunk

疾惡如仇 [疾恶如仇] ji2 wu4 ru2 chou2
: to hate evil as one hates an enemy

甘之如飴 gan1 zhi1 ru2 yi2
: lit. as sweet as syrup (from Book of Songs); to endure hardship gladly; a glutton for punishment

相敬如賓 [相敬如宾] xiang1 jing4 ru2 bin1
: to treat each other as an honored guest; mutual respect between husband and wife

萬事如意 [万事如意] wan4 shi4 ru2 yi4
: to have all one’s wishes; best wishes; all the best; may all your hopes be fulfilled

表裡如一 [表里如一] biao3 li3 ru2 yi1
: external appearance and inner thoughts coincide; to say what one means; to think and act as one

親如手足 [亲如手足] qin1 ru2 shou3 zu2
: as close as brothers; deep friendship

視死如歸 [视死如归] shi4 si3 ru2 gui1
: to view death as a return home; to not be afraid of dying; to face death with equanimity

豬狗不如 [猪狗不如] zhu1 gou3 bu4 ru2
: worse than a dog or pig; lower than low

軍令如山 [军令如山] jun1 ling4 ru2 shan1
: military orders are like mountains; a military order must be obeyed

膽小如鼠 [胆小如鼠] dan3 xiao3 ru2 shu3
: chicken-hearted; gutless

艷如桃李 [艳如桃李] yan4 ru2 tao2 li3
: lit. beautiful as peach and prune; fig. radiant beauty

風雨如晦 [风雨如晦] feng1 yu3 ru2 hui4
: lit. wind and rain darken the sky; fig. the situation looks grim

骨瘦如柴 gu3 shou4 ru2 chai2
: as thin as a match; emaciated

進退自如 [进退自如] jin4 tui4 zi4 ru2
: free to advance or retreat; room for maneuver

人生如朝露 ren2 sheng1 ru2 zhao1 lu4
: human life as the morning dew; fig. ephemeral and precarious nature of human existence

伴君如伴虎 ban4 jun1 ru2 ban4 hu3
: accompanying one’s sovereign (king) can be like accompanying a tiger

兵敗如山倒 [兵败如山倒] bing1 bai4 ru2 shan1 dao3
: troops in defeat like a landslide; a beaten army in total collapse

棄之如敝屣 [弃之如敝屣] qi4 zhi1 ru2 bi4 xi3
: to toss away like a pair of worn-out shoes

救場如救火 [救场如救火] jiu4 chang3 ru2 jiu4 huo3
: the show must go on

隔行如隔山 ge2 hang2 ru2 ge2 shan1
: different trades, worlds apart; to sb outside the profession, it is a closed book

磕頭如搗蒜 [磕头如捣蒜] ke4 tou2 ru2 dao3 suan4
: lit. to kowtow like grinding garlic; fig. to pound the ground with one’s head

如墮五里霧中 [如堕五里雾中] ru2 duo4 wu3 li3 wu4 zhong1
: as if lost in a thick fog; in a fog; muddled; completely unfamiliar with something

一代不如一代 yi1 dai4 bu4 ru2 yi1 dai4
: to be getting worse with each generation

人算不如天算 ren2 suan4 bu4 ru2 tian1 suan4
: God’s plans supersede our own; Man proposes but God disposes

巧詐不如拙誠 [巧诈不如拙诚] qiao3 zha4 bu4 ru2 zhuo1 cheng2
: the unvarnished truth is better than a cunning ruse; honesty is the best policy

恭敬不如從命 [恭敬不如从命] gong1 jing4 bu4 ru2 cong2 ming4
: deference is no substitute for obedience; (said to accept sb’s request, invitation etc)

求人不如求己 qiu2 ren2 bu4 ru2 qiu2 ji3
: if you want something done well, do it yourself

百聞不如一見 [百闻不如一见] bai3 wen2 bu4 ru2 yi1 jian4
: seeing once is better than hearing a hundred times; seeing for oneself is better than hearing from many others; seeing is believing
OR
耳聞不如目見 [耳闻不如目见] er3 wen2 bu4 ru2 mu4 jian4
: seeing something for oneself is better than hearing about it from others

聞名不如見面 [闻名不如见面] wen2 ming2 bu4 ru2 jian4 mian4
: knowing sb by their reputation can’t compare to meeting them in person

言教不如身教 yan2 jiao4 bu4 ru2 shen1 jiao4
: Explaining in words is not as good as teaching by example. Action speaks louder than words.

請將不如激將 [请将不如激将] qing3 jiang4 bu4 ru2 ji1 jiang4
: lit. to dispatch a general is not as effective as to excite a general; fig. inciting people to action is more effective than dispatching orders

藥補不如食補 [药补不如食补] yao4 bu3 bu4 ru2 shi2 bu3
: the benefits of medicine are not as great as those of good nutrition

遠親不如近鄰 [远亲不如近邻] yuan3 qin1 bu4 ru2 jin4 lin2
: A relative afar is less use than a close neighbor. Take whatever help is on hand, even from strangers.

長痛不如短痛 [长痛不如短痛] chang2 tong4 bu4 ru2 duan3 tong4
: better to just get the pain over with, rather than prolong the agony

一日不見，如隔三秋 [一日不见，如隔三秋] yi1 ri4 bu4 jian4 , ru2 ge2 san1 qiu1
: one day apart seems like three years (3 autumns)

來得早不如來得巧 [来得早不如来得巧] lai2 de5 zao3 bu4 ru2 lai2 de5 qiao3
: arriving early can’t beat coming at the right time; perfect timing

君子之交淡如水 jun1 zi3 zhi1 jiao1 dan4 ru2 shui3
: a gentleman’s friendship, insipid as water (from Zhuangzi 莊子|庄子 Zhuang1 zi3)

好死不如賴活著 [好死不如赖活着] hao3 si3 bu4 ru2 lai4 huo2 zhe5
: better a bad life than a good death

好記性不如爛筆頭 [好记性不如烂笔头] hao3 ji4 xing4 bu4 ru2 lan4 bi3 tou2
: the palest ink is better than the best memory

如人飲水，冷暖自知 [如人饮水，冷暖自知] ru2 ren2 yin3 shui3 , leng3 nuan3 zi4 zhi1
: the person who drinks it knows best whether the water is hot or cold (Zen proverb); self-awareness comes from within; to know best by personal experience

學如逆水行舟，不進則退 [学如逆水行舟，不进则退] xue2 ru2 ni4 shui3 xing2 zhou1 , bu4 jin4 ze2 tui4
: Study is like rowing upstream: no advancement is to fall back

從善如登，從惡如崩 [从善如登，从恶如崩] cong2 shan4 ru2 deng1 , cong2 e4 ru2 beng1
: doing good is like a hard climb, doing evil is like an easy fall

授之以魚不如授之以漁 [授之以鱼不如授之以渔] shou4 zhi1 yi3 yu2 bu4 ru2 shou4 zhi1 yi3 yu2
: give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime
OR
授人以魚不如授人以漁 [授人以鱼不如授人以渔] shou4 ren2 yi3 yu2 bu4 ru2 shou4 ren2 yi3 yu2
: give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime; knowledge is the best charity

病來如山倒，病去如抽絲 [病来如山倒，病去如抽丝] bing4 lai2 ru2 shan1 dao3 , bing4 qu4 ru2 chou1 si1
: sickness comes like a landslide, but goes slowly like spinning silk; expect to convalesce slowly

臨淵羨魚，不如退而結網 [临渊羡鱼，不如退而结网] lin2 yuan1 xian4 yu2 , bu4 ru2 tui4 er2 jie2 wang3
: better to go home and weave a net than to stand by the pond longing for fish; one should take practical steps to achieve one’s aim

多一事不如少一事 duo1 yi1 shi4 bu4 ru2 shao3 yi1 shi4
: it is better to avoid unnecessary trouble; the less complications the better

書中自有黃金屋，書中自有顏如玉 [书中自有黄金屋，书中自有颜如玉] shu1 zhong1 zi4 you3 huang2 jin1 wu1 , shu1 zhong1 zi4 you3 yan2 ru2 yu4
: lit. in books are sumptuous houses and graceful ladies (proverb); fig. be diligent in your studies, success and glory will follow