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Usage of 是 and 般 in 象[像] predicate.


navaburo

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I'm having trouble with this sentence.

大角就象是巨象脚下的一只蚂蚁般微小。

I understand it to mean something like: "Arcturus looked as tiny as an ant at the feet of a huge elephant."

What throws me off is 是 and 般:

  1. Is the 是 optional here? Or do we need it because we are saying something like "Arcturus looks TO BE tiny".
  2. What is 般 doing? Could it be replaced by 一样?

Thanks!

- Chris

---

As a curious aside, Google Translate has (hilariously) a bit of trouble with these extended adjective constructions in Chinese.... it follows the garden path and gives:

"Arcturus is like a giant elephant at the foot of an ant-like tiny."

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