〜みたい
Formation
Meaning
Indicates similarity, conjecture, or provides an example. It means 'seems like' or 'is similar to'.
Note
A colloquial version of '〜ようだ'. It is used to express that something appears to be a certain way based on observation or hearsay, or to compare something to another (metaphor). Unlike '〜らしい', which suggests a person/thing is a prototypical example of their category (e.g., 'manly man'), '〜みたい' just indicates a surface similarity or a subjective impression. It behaves like a Na-adjective in terms of conjugation (〜みたいな, 〜みたいに).
Examples
雨が降るみたい。
It looks like it's going to rain.
田中さんはもう帰ったみたいだ。
It seems Tanaka-san has already gone home.
彼は学生みたいだ。
He looks like a student.
このカレーは辛いみたいだ。
It seems this curry is spicy.
彼女は元気みたい。
She seems well/energetic.
子供みたいな人だ。
He's a childish person.
彼はロボットみたいに働く。
He works like a robot.
本物みたいによくできている。
It's made so well it looks like the real thing.