The word "似的" is formed through the fusion and grammaticalization of two distinct characters: "似", which originally means "to resemble" or "to be similar to", and "的", a ubiquitous particle that often indicates possession or modification. Over time, these two elements combined into a single, inseparable lexical unit where their individual meanings blended and specialized. The compound now functions holistically as a comparative suffix, losing its compositional transparency in modern usage to express the abstract concept of "like" or "as if", with "的" serving primarily to solidify it as a grammatical marker rather than contributing its standalone meaning.