1.
like; such as
Used to give examples or make comparisons, similar to 'like' in casual English.
A scene like something out of a movie spread out before me, and I couldn't help taking a photo.
2.
or something like that
Used at the end of sentences to soften or hedge a statement.
みたいな is the colloquial attributive form of みたいだ, used to make comparisons or soften statements. Very common in everyday spoken Japanese.
USAGE (sense 1, comparison):
Noun + みたいな + noun: "like ~"
USAGE (sense 2, hedging):
Statement + みたいな: "...or something like that"
- 明日、みたいな: like, tomorrow, or something
Softens statements and avoids sounding too definitive. Similar to English filler "like."
Similar words
- ような / ように: the neutral equivalents, used in writing and careful speech
- 〜のような: more polished comparison
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Overuse of みたいな as a filler is sometimes criticized as sloppy speech, similar to overusing "like" in English.