ごとき / ごとく / ごとし

ごとき, ごとく, and ごとし are classical/literary expressions meaning "like", "as if", or "the same as". They are the literary equivalents of the modern ような / ように and carry a formal, elevated, or sometimes archaic tone. They appear frequently in literature, proverbs, formal speeches, and set phrases.

These three forms are different conjugations of the classical adjective ごとし:

ごとく – Adverbial form (連用形)

Used to modify verbs and adjectives, functioning like ように.

ごとき – Attributive form (連体形)

Used to modify nouns, functioning like ような.

ごとし – Terminal form (終止形)

Used at the end of a sentence to conclude a statement, functioning like ようだ.

How to connect

ごとき / ごとく / ごとし attach to nouns using the particle の:

• Noun + の
  • ごとく / ごとき / ごとし

They can also attach to verbs in their dictionary form or た form using が:

• Verb + が
  • ごとく / ごとき / ごとし

Contemptuous usage of ごとき

ごとき is sometimes used in a belittling or dismissive sense, meaning "someone/something as insignificant as ~". This usage is common in dramatic or literary contexts.

Common set phrases

Several well-known expressions use these forms:

• わがこと我が事のごとく – as if it were one's own matter
• みずをえたさかな水を得た魚のごとく – like a fish that got water (= in one's element)
• こういん光陰や矢のごとし – time flies like an arrow