像…一样【xiàng … yíyàng】

像 B 一样 means "like B". With an adjective or verb after 一样, it says how A is like B: "as tall as", "cry like".

Without anything after it, A 像 B 一样 just says they are alike.

像…一样 or 跟…一样

跟…一样 says two things are the same. 像…一样 says one is like the other, which also allows images and exaggeration.

Before a noun

With 的, the whole phrase describes a noun. 这样 or 那样 can replace 一样: 像你这样的人 "people like you".

The 像 phrase comes before the adjective

English says "tall like his dad". Chinese puts the comparison first. With an action, the verb takes 得 and the 像 phrase follows it.

• × 他高像他爸爸 → 他像他爸爸一样高
• × 他跑像风 → 他跑得像风一样快

The negative, 不像…那么, is its own pattern.