ように/ような

1. 1ように: 'like ~ / as ~', modifying a verb or adjective to compare a manner or degree to something.Ex. 1
2. 2ような: 'like ~ / such as ~', modifying a noun to describe it by resemblance or by a representative example.Ex. 2

A neutral comparison expression that suits both speech and writing, and is slightly more formal than みたい. It often appears in similes (雪のように白い) and in describing a person or thing by pointing to a model (田中さんのような人). The adverb まるで is often added to emphasize the comparison.

• みたいに/みたいなN4「みたいに/みたいな」can be swapped with this pattern in both its simile and example-giving uses, but it is more colloquial and unsuitable for formal writing or speeches. It attaches directly after nouns, as in「雪みたいに」, and follows the stem of な-adjectives without adding「な」.
• ようだN4「ようだ」is used at the end of a sentence as a predicate, mainly expressing conjecture ('it seems…') but also similes;「ように／ような」works within the sentence as an adverbial or modifier, expressing similes, giving examples, or indicating content. The two take the same preceding forms, their simile meanings overlap, so choose between them according to where they sit in the sentence.
• まるでN3「まるで」is an adverb placed before the figurative content to intensify the sense of 'like', and it commonly combines with「ように／ような」rather than replacing it. On its own it can also mean 'completely', as in「まるで違う」, and you can likewise say「まるで夢だ」.
• みたいだN4For expressing similes,「みたいに/みたいな」is interchangeable with「ように/ような」, but it attaches straight onto nouns without「の」(as in「雪みたいに」) and sounds more casual and conversational;「みたいだ」can additionally express conjecture ('it seems…').
• とおりN3「とおり」cannot express similes or give examples; it is interchangeable with「ように」when reporting something just as was said or doing something exactly as demonstrated, such as「言ったとおり」or「やったとおりにやって」, though「とおり」places stronger emphasis on complete fidelity.
• とみえる / とみえてN3「ように/ような」is used for similes, giving examples, or indicating content, and does not express inference;「とみえる/とみえて」draws conclusions along the lines of 'it looks like…' based on visible signs, leans toward written style, and requires「だ」after nouns and な-adjectives. The two cannot substitute for each other.

みたいに/みたいな mean the same but are more casual and attach to nouns without の, while ようだ and みたいだ are the sentence-final forms (which can also express conjecture), and まるで is an adverb that emphasizes a comparison and combines with ように, ような, ようだ, みたいだ and similar expressions. とおり means 'exactly as' (following something said, planned or predicted) rather than simple resemblance, and とみえる expresses an inference drawn from evidence, not a comparison.