About
Composed of the radicals 女 for woman and 口 for mouth, the character 如 initially represented the concept of following or complying, as derived from its pictorial elements. Over centuries, its semantic range extended to include meanings such as similarity, expressed in terms like 'like' or 'as', and conditionality, as in the word for 'if'. This evolution from a verb denoting obedience to a versatile particle and conjunction demonstrates how its core idea adapted to broader linguistic functions.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
如果天气好，我们就出去玩。
我不知道如何回答这个问题。
我喜欢水果，例如苹果和香蕉。
这部电影不如那部好看。
这里的风景如此美丽。
正如我们所料，他成功了。
假如我有时间，我会帮助你。
她的笑容如阳光一般温暖。