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Formation: N + の + ごとく (adverb) / ごとき + N (modifier) / ごとし (sentence-final); V-dictionary / V-ta + (が)ごとく／ごとき; 〜かのごとく; N + ごとき (directly: the likes of)

ごとし is the classical form of 〜ようだ. ごとく works like ように, ごとき like ような, and ごとし ends a sentence, mostly in sayings such as 光陰矢のごとし. It survives in formal writing, speeches and literature, and in set phrases like 前述のごとく (as stated above) and 以下のごとく (as follows). ごとき placed directly after a noun or pronoun, with no の, has a separate meaning: "the likes of". With oneself it is humble (私ごとき), and with others it is contemptuous (お前ごときに). かのごとく is the literary counterpart of 〜かのように.

Variants: ごとし、かのごとく、N + ごとき (the likes of)

Examples

• 彼は何事もなかったかのごとく振る舞った。
  He behaved as if nothing had happened.
• 月日は矢のごとく過ぎ去った。
  The months and days flew by like an arrow.
• お前ごときに負けるはずがない。
  There's no way I'd lose to the likes of you.

In real texts 0 occurrence(s)

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