JLPT N3
～らしい
It seems that; I heard that; typical of
Structure
Noun + らしい | Verb plain form + らしい | い-adj plain form + らしい | な-adj stem + らしい
How it works
～らしい is used to convey information heard from others (hearsay) or to express a strong inference based on what is observed, suggesting something is typical or characteristic of its kind.
Examples
彼は病気らしい。
It seems that he is sick (I heard he is sick).
Common mistakes
Confusing it with ～ようだ (it seems like/looks like), which often implies a more direct observation or comparison, rather than hearsay or strong characteristic.
Tip
Think of 'らしい' as having two main uses: 'I hear that...' (hearsay) and 'It seems typical of...' (strong inference/characteristic).
More JLPT N3 grammar
See ～らしい in real Japanese
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