JLPT N1 Appearance, tendency, and suffixes

めく (meku): seems; show signs of; to have the appearance of

Use めく when you want to say that something shows hints of a quality, or that a situation is beginning to take on a certain character. It often translates naturally as “seems,” “shows signs of,” or “has an air of.

びる / びて / びた (biru / bite / bita): to seem to be; to appear; to behave as

Use びる / びて / びた when you want to express that something or someone has the appearance or quality of ~, but without suggesting deliberate pretense. The feeling is more “it looks that way naturally” than “it’s trying to look that way.

この町は古びているが、味がある。 — This town looks old, but it has character.

じみた (jimita): to become; to appear like; to look like; tainted with

Use じみた when you want to assert that someone or something embodies the essence of a noun, as if it has been dyed or soaked by it. The underlying image comes from the verb 染みる (to soak in, to stain), so the pattern carries a sense of deep permeation.

彼の議論は子どもじみていて、説得力がない。 — His argument is childish and lacks persuasiveness.

ぶる / ぶって / ぶった (buru / butte / butta): assuming the air of; behaving like; to pretend / act like

Use ぶる / ぶって / ぶった when you want to express that someone is pretending to be or acting as if they possess a certain trait, attitude, or role, often with a negative or mocking undertone.

彼はいつも大人ぶっている。 — He is always acting like a grown-up / putting on airs of adulthood.

がましい (gamashii): look like; sound like; approximate; similar to; somewhat like

Use がましい when you want to say that someone or something has the appearance, sound, or feel of a particular (often negative) quality, but you stop short of calling it that outright. It’s a hedge with an edge: the speaker implies “I don’t want to say it is that, but it sure comes close.

押し付けがましい言い方は止めてください。 — Please stop that pushy way of speaking.

ごとき・ごとく・ごとし (gotoki / gotoku / gotoshi): like; as if; the same as

Use ごとき, ごとく, or ごとし when you want to express the idea of similarity, metaphor, or equivalence: “like,” “as if,” “the same as.” They all come from the classical auxiliary ごとし, which survives in fixed expressions and formal writing.

彼は風のごとく走り去った。 — He ran away like the wind.

も同然だ (mo douzen da): just like; same as

Use も同然だ when you want to equate one thing with another, not literally but in practical effect. The speaker is saying "for all intents and purposes, it’s the same as X.

泥棒も同然だ。 — He’s just like a thief.

んばかりに (n bakari ni): as if; as though

Use んばかりに when a person’s expression, gesture, or a situation itself looks as if some action is about to occur — as though you could almost see it happening before your eyes. It conveys intensity, immediacy, and a visible build‑up.

彼は今にも泣き出さんばかりの顔をしていた。 — He had a face that looked on the verge of bursting into tears at any moment.

とばかりに (to bakari ni): as if to say; as though

Use とばかりに when you want to describe a non-verbal cue that seems to deliver a clear message—as if the person had actually said those words. The pattern translates to something like “as if to say…” or “as though…”.

彼は「さあ、来い」言いたいとばかりに手招きした。 — He beckoned as if to say “Come on!”

まみれ (mamire): covered with; stained; smeared with

Use まみれ when a person, object, or surface is completely covered in a messy, often unpleasant substance. The pattern emphasizes the extent and the unsightly texture of the covering.

子供が泥まみれで帰ってきた。 — The child came home covered in mud.

ずくめ (zukume): completely; entirely; nothing but

Use ずくめ when you want to show that something is entirely made up of a particular element, leaving no space for anything else. It attaches to nouns and means “nothing but,” “all,” or “completely.

彼は黒ずくめの服を着ていた。 — He was dressed all in black.

ぐるみ (gurumi): together (with); -wide

Use ぐるみ when you want to express that something involves an entire group, community, or entity as a single unit.

家族ぐるみで旅行に行く。 — We go on a trip with the whole family.

ぶり / っぷり (buri / ppuri): style; manner; way

Use ぶり / っぷり when you want to comment on the visible manner or style in which an action is done, often implying your impression or judgment.

彼の話しぶりから、経験豊富なことがわかる。 — From his way of speaking, you can tell he is very experienced.

なりに / なりの (nari ni / nari no): suitable; in one's own way/style

Use なりに / なりの when you want to say that something is done, seen, or exists in a manner appropriate to that person or thing — often implying "within its own limits.

子供には子供なりの悩みがある。 — Children have their own worries.

ながらに / ながらの (nagara ni / nagara no): while; during; without change; in that state

Use ながらに (adverbially) or ながらの (to modify a noun) when you want to convey that a state or quality continues without alteration, often forming the essence of the situation.

涙ながらに別れを告げた。 — I said goodbye in tears.

放題 (houdai): doing as one pleases; to one's heart's content; leaving uncontrolled

Use 放題 when you want to express that an action is done freely, to one's heart's content, or that something is left to continue without control.

あのレストランは食べ放題が2000円だ。 — That restaurant’s all-you-can-eat is only 2,000 yen.

まくる (makuru): to do over and over again; to do relentlessly

Use まくる when you want to express that an action is repeated over and over, without stopping, often with a sense of wildness or lack of restraint.

昨日、一晩中ゲームをやりまくった。 — Last night I played video games nonstop all night.

尽くす (tsukusu): to use up (completely without anything remaining); to exhaust; to run out of

Use 尽くす when you want to express that something is consumed in its entirety, leaving nothing left.

彼は貯金を全て使い尽くした。 — He used up all his savings completely.

嫌いがある (kirai ga aru): bad habit; to have a tendency to

Use 嫌いがある when you want to call out a recurring bad habit or a tendency you disapprove of. The pattern always carries a negative judgement.

彼は何でも自分で決めようとする嫌いがある — He has a bad habit of wanting to decide everything by himself.

ともすれば (tomo sureba): apt to (do); tend to; liable to; prone to

Use ともすれば when you want to express that a person, system, or situation is liable to, inclined to, or apt to end up in a particular state or action. The outcome is almost always undesirable — a mistake, excess, carelessness, or misjudgment.

人間はともすれば楽なほうへ流れがちだ。 — Humans are apt to drift toward the easier path.