Question about how to say "sounds like" "looks like" "tastes like" "smells like" "feels like (referring to touch)"?

Question

My question is not really about comparing things. My question is about expressing the quality of things, like characteristics.

For example, how do you say: 1. "it sounds like your work is very interesting!" 2. "he looks like he is very tired" 3. "this book looks like a hard read" 4. "this vase looks really heavy" 5. "this soup tastes like it took a lot of work" 6. "this flower smells like it should cost 1,000 dollars" 7. "this blanket feels like it has never been used"

I've heard 着 should be used in this case. Is this true? Can someone elaboration?

谢谢！

Answer 1

Some of the direct translation:

1. "it sounds like your work is very interesting!" 听起来你的工作非常有意思!
2. "he looks like he is very tired" 他看起来非常累。
3. "this book looks like a hard read" 这书想必是很难读的。
4. "this vase looks really heavy" 这花瓶看起来很重。
5. "this soup tastes like it took a lot of work" 这汤尝着感觉下了很大功夫。
6. "this flower smells like it should cost 1,000 dollars" 这些花闻起来像是它们值1000美元。
7. "this blanket feels like it has never been used" 这条毯子感觉从来没用过。

Above are the so called direct answers, however as you said you want the characteristics, it is a bit harder.

A verb representing a feel can be in front of "着" or "起来", like “看着”，“看起来”，“听着”，“听起来”... and your actual feel, some adjective words can be after that, to express your idea on such thing through an action or interact or motion, like “听起来很悦耳(sounds very melodious) ”，“闻起来很香(smells good)”.

But to make this more beautiful, that's literature. An idea would be punch in enormous adjective words and imagination, or quote old literature, etc.

Answer 2

Agreed to tomriddle_1234.

But Sometimes translating sentences like these, you may add extra Chinese words or adjust the order of some words in expressions.

For example:
Original / Direct Translation / Alternative Translation
1. "it sounds like your work is very interesting!" / 听起来你的工作非常有意思! / 你的工作听起来很有趣.
2. "he looks like he is very tired" / 他看起来非常累./ Better go with direct translation.
3. "this book looks like a hard read" / 这书想必是很难读的. / 感觉这本书会很难读.
4. "this vase looks really heavy" / 这花瓶看起来很重. / 感觉这花瓶会很重.
5. "this soup tastes like it took a lot of work" / 这汤尝着感觉下了很大功夫. / 这汤真不错, 应该下了很大的功夫(才做出来的).
6. "this flower smells like it should cost 1,000 dollars" / 这些花闻起来像是它们值1000美元. / 闻闻这花, 感觉值1000美元.
7. "this blanket feels like it has never been used" / 这条毯子感觉从来没用用过. / 感觉这条毯子从来没用过.