TAKOBOTO

Like, As if; resemblance, analogy, similarity
I want to fly like a bird.
実際はそうではないが、まるで〜のような／に (文語体)

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れっかのごときひなん。

Criticism like fire.

わたしのごときしょしんしゃにとって、。。。

For a beginner like me, ...

じぇっときのごとくそらをとぶ。

Fly through the sky like a jet.

いじょうのごとく

As stated above...

つねのごとく

As usual.

いけるごとく

As if it is alive.

とりのごとくそらをとぶこと、これはにんげんのゆめである。

To fly through the sky like a bird; that is the dream of man.

ライオンのごとくゆうかんなひとだ。

That person is as brave as a lion.

そのしょうねんはとぶがごときいきおいで、かけさった

that boy ran away as if he was flying.

そのしょうじょはのごときおとめであった。

That girl was like a white lily.

ぜんじゅつしたごとく、かいぎのにっていがへんこうになりましたので、ごちゅういください。

As I mentioned before, the schedule for the meeting has changed so please take care.

あのしゃちょうはよのなかのすべてがじぶんのものであるかのごとくふるまっている。

That company boss behaves as if all the world belongs to him.

じんせいはこうかいのごとし。

Life is like a voyage

とうきょうじんはまんにんはしっているかのごとし。

Tokyoites all look as if they are always running

かのじょはじょおうのごとくげいのうかいにくんりんしている。

She dominates the showbusiness world as if she were a queen.

ゆめのごときしんこんせいかつののちにひげきがおとずれた。

Their dream -like , newly-wedded bliss was followed by tragedy.

Noun + (の) + ごとき + Noun
Noun + ごとく + Adjective/Verb

blabby

Not to be confused with <b>ことごとく</b>, which is an unrelated word meaning 'entirely':

　ことごとく信じる。
Believe something totally.

mochabean

Ref # Kanzen Master Level 1 - p62 - no.53

LR

Ref # A Dictionary of Advanced Japanese Grammar p103

LR

Written, Formal

LR

ごとし indicates similarity. It changes form depending on where it is in a sentence, it's nuance/grammatical function, and whether it is attached to a verb or a noun.

LR

One of the functions of ごとし / ごとき / ごとく is to mark a simile.

LR

When か is inserted, it adds the nuance of doubt on the part of the speaker.

LR

Used almost exclusively in written language.

LR

Set Phrases

上述のごとく
As stated above

当然のごとく
As if it were a matter of course

LR

LR

生けるかのごとく

誠

To be consistent, #5433 should be deleted - not just marking it like blabby suggests.

bamboo4

Very formal written grammar.

blabby

#5428 私ごとき is ok, too.
#5432 生けるがごとく
#5433 This is different. kotogotoku is written as 悉くor 尽く in kanji but I don't use them in kanji. hehe

Miki

Miki, thanks for your valuable advice.

In #5428, I understand that the の is optional but is #5432 incorrect? Or are 生けるがごとく and 生けるごとく both acceptable? Google gives me 79 results to 31 respectively.

Rather than delete #5433, I marked it as "question" so other readers can see that it is different.

blabby

「ごとく、ごとき」は「ように、ような」の古い言葉で、名詞の前に付かれて、改まった場所での会話や、硬い文章に使われます。

誠

ごとく or 如く is literal diction and not normally used (sounds pedantic) in conversational speech. ような or ように can usually replace ごとく.
As between 生けるがごとく and 生けるごとく, the former is the conventional usage, but the latter is more or less acceptable (with emphasis on "less").

bamboo4

I've overwritten #5433 with an example which contains the grammar point and moved the previous example up into notes.
That way, those people giving the page a thorough read can be alerted to the difference, while those just scrolling down to get examples of the actual grammar point won't be confused by unrelated sentences.
Does this keep everyone happy?

mochabean