1.
reminiscent, evocative, suggestive of
Something that strongly calls to mind or vividly evokes an image of something else. Almost always used in the pattern 〜を彷彿とさせる (to be reminiscent of) or 〜を彷彿させる.
彷彿 means to vividly evoke or call to mind something else. It is almost never used as a standalone word — it appears in fixed patterns.
Common patterns
- 〜を彷彿とさせる: to be reminiscent of ~, to evoke ~ (most common)
- 〜を彷彿させる: slightly less formal variant of the above
Examples of use
Register
A literary, written expression. Common in reviews, essays, and descriptive journalism. Not typically used in casual speech — 思い出させる (to remind of) or 〜みたいだ (like ~) are more natural alternatives in conversation.
Writing
The kanji 彷彿 are rarely used outside this word. Sometimes written in hiragana as ほうふつ.