〜に見える

Pattern
〜に見える
Level
N4
Reading
〜にみえる
Meaning
appear to be; look like
Attaches to
Noun + に見える; い-adj stem + く見える; な-adj stem + に見える
Nuance & register

Used for conveying an impression or appearance, often subjective. Implies one's own perception.

Example

彼は日本人に見える。その絵は本物に見える。

Easily confused with

〜そうだ(様態) - 〜に見える is about objective appearance or a subjective impression, while 〜そうだ(様態) is about an immediate visual judgment (e.g., "looks like rain").

More from Grammar Points