처럼/같이 (cheoreom/gachi) - Like/As | Korean Grammar Documentation

The particles 처럼 (cheoreom) and 같이 (gachi) both express similarity or comparison, meaning "like" or "as." While largely interchangeable, they have subtle differences in usage and nuance.

Form

처럼 (cheoreom) - invariable form 같이 (gachi) - invariable form

Basic Function

Both mark similarity, comparison, or manner—indicating that something is like, similar to, or done in the same way as something else.

Translation: "like," "as," "the same as," "similar to"

Basic Usage

처럼 (like/as)

천사처럼 예뻐요. (Cheonsa-cheoreom yeppeoyo.) - Pretty like an angel.
친구처럼 대해요. (Chingu-cheoreom daehaeyo.) - Treat like a friend.
아이처럼 행동해요. (Ai-cheoreom haengdonghaeyo.) - Act like a child.

같이 (like/as/together)

천사같이 예뻐요. (Cheonsa-gachi yeppeoyo.) - Pretty like an angel.
친구같이 대해요. (Chingu-gachi daehaeyo.) - Treat like a friend.
가족같이 지내요. (Gajok-gachi jinaeyo.) - Live like family.

처럼 vs 같이

Main Difference

처럼: Pure comparison, "like" or "as" 같이: Can mean "like" OR "together with"

같이 Ambiguity

같이 has two meanings depending on context:

Meaning 1: Like/As (comparison):

천사같이 예뻐요. (Pretty like an angel.)

Meaning 2: Together with (accompaniment):

친구같이 갔어요. (Went together with friend.)

처럼: Only means comparison, never "together"

친구처럼 갔어요. (Went like a friend - as if a friend would)

Preference

To avoid ambiguity, many speakers prefer:

처럼 for comparisons
함께 or 와/과 같이 for "together"

Similarity Comparisons

Comparing to People

엄마처럼 요리해요. (Cook like mom.)
선생님처럼 설명해요. (Explain like teacher.)
아이같이 웃어요. (Laugh like a child.)
천재처럼 똑똑해요. (Smart like a genius.)

Comparing to Things

꿈같이 아름다워요. (Beautiful like a dream.)
꿀같이 달아요. (Sweet like honey.)
바람처럼 빨라요. (Fast like wind.)
돌처럼 단단해요. (Hard like stone.)

Comparing to Animals

토끼처럼 빨라요. (Fast like a rabbit.)
새같이 자유로워요. (Free like a bird.)
사자처럼 용감해요. (Brave like a lion.)

Manner/Method Expressions

Expressing how something is done:

처럼 (in the manner of)

이렇게 하면 돼요, 저처럼. (Do it like this, like me.)
선생님이 말한 것처럼 하세요. (Do as teacher said.)
원래처럼 해요. (Do as originally / Do as before.)

같이 (in the same way)

나같이 해 봐. (Try doing it like me.)
이렇게 하면 되죠, 저같이. (Just do it like this, like me.)

Common Patterns

Pattern 1: Noun + 처럼/같이

[Noun + 처럼/같이] + [Verb/Adjective]

천사처럼 예뻐요. (Pretty like an angel.)
얼음같이 차가워요. (Cold like ice.)
바람처럼 빨라요. (Fast like wind.)

Pattern 2: Pronoun + 처럼/같이

[Pronoun + 처럼/같이] + [Verb]

저처럼 하세요. (Do like me.)
나같이 해. (Do like me - casual.)
너처럼 살고 싶어요. (Want to live like you.)

Pattern 3: Clause + 것처럼

[Verb/Adjective + (으)ㄴ/는] + 것처럼

아는 것처럼 말해요. (Talk as if knowing.)
본 것처럼 설명해요. (Explain as if having seen.)

것처럼 (as if)

Special construction for "as if" or "as though":

Formation

[Verb/Adj stem + (으)ㄴ/는] + 것처럼

아는 것처럼 (as if knowing)
본 것처럼 (as if having seen)
죽은 것처럼 (as if dead)

Examples

아무것도 모르는 것처럼 행동해요. (Act as if knowing nothing.)
처음 보는 것처럼 놀랐어요. (Surprised as if seeing for first time.)
아픈 것처럼 보여요. (Look as if sick.)

Idiomatic Expressions

항상처럼/언제나처럼 (as always)

항상처럼 웃어요. (Smile as always.)
언제나처럼 친절해요. (Kind as always.)

원래처럼 (as originally/as before)

원래처럼 돌아왔어요. (Returned to as it was before.)

그렇게 (like that)

Can be used with 처럼/같이:

그렇게 하지 마세요. (Don't do like that.)

이렇게/저렇게 (like this/like that)

이렇게 처럼 하세요. (Do like this.)
저렇게 같이 하면 안 돼요. (Shouldn't do like that.)

With Demonstratives

이렇게 처럼 vs 이처럼

이처럼/그처럼/저처럼 (contracted forms):

이처럼 (like this)
그처럼 (like that)
저처럼 (like that over there)

More formal/literary than 이렇게.

같이 for "Together"

When 같이 means "together," it's not a comparison:

Together Meaning

친구같이 갔어요. (Went together with friend.)
가족같이 살아요. (Live together with family.)
같이 가요. (Let's go together.)

To avoid confusion: Use 와/과 같이 or 함께:

친구와 같이 갔어요. (Went together with friend.)
친구와 함께 갔어요. (Went together with friend.)

Negative Comparisons

Expressing "not like" or "unlike":

처럼 with Negatives

그 사람처럼 하지 마세요. (Don't act like that person.)
전처럼 안 해요. (Don't do as before.)

와/과 다르게 (unlike)

Alternative expression:

친구와 다르게 행동해요. (Act unlike friend.)

Position in Sentence

Both typically appear mid-sentence, after what they're comparing to:

Standard position:

저는 친구처럼 일해요. (I work like friend.)
천사같이 예뻐요. (Pretty like an angel.)

Questions with 처럼/같이

누구처럼/같이 (like whom)

누구처럼 하고 싶어요? (Like whom do you want to be?)
누구같이 보여요? (Who does it look like?)

뭐처럼/같이 (like what)

뭐처럼 생겼어요? (What does it look like?)
뭐같이 맛있어요? (What does it taste like?)

Similes and Metaphors

Common in Korean for vivid descriptions:

Common Similes

얼음같이 차가워요 (cold like ice)
꿀같이 달아요 (sweet like honey)
바람처럼 빨라요 (fast like wind)
꿈같이 아름다워요 (beautiful like a dream)
돌처럼 단단해요 (hard like stone)
구름처럼 부드러워요 (soft like clouds)

Personality Comparisons

천사같이 착해요 (kind like an angel)
악마같이 나빠요 (bad like a devil)
여우같이 교활해요 (cunning like a fox)

Literary/Formal Usage

처럼 More Common in Writing

More formal, appears in written Korean:

이처럼 (like this - formal)
그처럼 (like that - formal)

같이 More Colloquial

More casual, common in speech:

친구같이 지내요. (Get along like friends.)

Multiple Comparisons

Can use multiple times in one sentence:

천사처럼 예쁘고 요정같이 귀여워요.
(Pretty like an angel and cute like a fairy.)

Comparison with 만큼

처럼/같이 (like/as - quality)

Comparing similarity:

천사처럼 예뻐요. (Pretty like an angel.)

만큼 (as much as - degree)

Comparing degree/extent:

천사만큼 예뻐요. (As pretty as an angel - equal degree.)

Difference: 처럼/같이 focus on manner; 만큼 on extent.

Summary Table

Particle	Main Use	Example	Translation
처럼	Like/As (comparison only)	천사처럼	Like an angel
같이	Like/As OR Together	천사같이	Like an angel
같이	Together with	친구같이 가요	Go together with friend
것처럼	As if/As though	아는 것처럼	As if knowing

Key Points

✅ 처럼: Pure comparison, "like/as"
✅ 같이: "Like/as" OR "together" (ambiguous)
✅ Both: Largely interchangeable for comparisons
✅ 것처럼: "As if" construction
✅ Preference: 처럼 for clarity in comparisons
✅ Common in: Similes, metaphors, manner expressions
✅ Together meaning: Use 함께 or 와/과 같이 to clarify

Understanding 처럼 and 같이 allows you to make vivid comparisons and express similarity naturally in Korean. They're essential for colorful, descriptive language.