Translation guide
The suffix '-looking' is used in English to describe appearance or resemblance. In Japanese, this concept is expressed through various suffixes and grammatical patterns that attach to nouns, adjectives, or verbs to indicate that something looks or appears a certain way.
That cloud looks like a dog.
She looks tired.
Attaches to nouns, adjectives, or verb stems to mean '-ish' or 'tends to look/be like'. Often implies a characteristic or tendency.
He is childish-looking / He acts childish.
These clothes look cheap.
Attaches to verb stems or adjectives to mean 'looks like it will...' or 'seems...'. Used for judgments based on appearance.
A delicious-looking cake.
It looks like it will rain.
Literally 'appears like ~'. More formal or written than みたい.
He looks like a foreigner.
Attaches to nouns or verb stems to indicate a slight tendency or appearance of something, often negative. 'A bit ~-looking'.
A tired-looking face.
みたい is a general 'looks like' based on resemblance. っぽい implies a characteristic or tendency, often with a nuance of '-ish'. そう is used for judgments based on direct observation, often about imminent states or qualities.
English compounds like 'strange-looking' cannot be directly translated as one word. Use patterns like 変な見た目の (strange-looking) or 変に見える (looks strange).