めく
Like, To show signs of, To have the appearance of, To come to a (state) similar to, Somewhat, An air of, Feels almost like
Structure
Noun + めいている
Noun［Season］ + めいてきた
Noun + めいた + Noun
Explanation
めく is a distinctive う-Verb that functions exclusively as a suffix. It conveys the meaning 'to seem like (A)' or 'to take on the qualities of (A)', attaching to a noun to express something the speaker is sensing or observing.
Because めく is a verb, it conjugates into various forms to fit the grammatical context of the sentence. The past-tense form, めいた, is frequently used when it modifies a noun that comes after it.
- だんだん涼しくなって、すっかり秋めいてきましたね。It's gradually getting cooler; it really feels like autumn now, doesn't it?
- 父は説教めいてそんなことを言ったが、実は僕のことを心配してくれているのだ。My father said that in a preachy sort of way, but he's actually just worried about me.
- 彼は言い訳めいたことを並べて、自分の失敗を認めようとしなかった。He rattled off a bunch of things that sounded like excuses and refused to admit his own failure.
- その俳優は、どこか秘密めいた表情でカメラを見つめた。The actor gazed at the camera with a somewhat secretive expression.
The nuance of expressing what 'the speaker experiences' is crucial. めく emphasizes the speaker's subjective perception of (A). It implies that the situation is not literally (A), but simply has the appearance or feeling of it, a fact the speaker is typically conscious of.
Caution
めく pairs with a limited number of nouns, so it's advisable to stick to established combinations you've encountered. Common examples include 春めく 'to start feeling like spring', 冗談めく 'to seem like a joke', 秘密めく 'to seem secret or mysterious', and 説教めく 'to sound preachy'.
Examples
彼の非難めいた口調に、部屋の空気が重くなった。
The atmosphere in the room grew heavy due to his critical sounding tone.
日増しに涼しくなり、すっかり秋めいてきましたね。
It's getting cooler day by day, and has really started to feel like autumn, hasn't it?
急に他人行儀めいた話し方をするのはやめてください。
Please stop suddenly speaking in such a standoffish-like manner.
少年は私の方を見て、いたずらめいた笑みを浮かべた。
The boy looked at me and gave a mischievous-looking smile.
彼女のお世辞めいた褒め言葉には裏があるに違いない。
There must be a hidden motive behind her compliments that sound like flattery.
彼の命令めいた頼み方は、少し不快だった。
His way of asking, which sounded like a command, was a little unpleasant.
小説：「その男は終始、秘密めいた態度を崩さなかった。」
Novel: 'From beginning to end, the man never dropped his secretive-seeming demeanor.'
遠くから赤ちゃんの泣き声が、助けを求める哀願めいて聞こえた。
From a distance, the baby's cry sounded like a plea for help.
彼はあきらめめいた表情で「もう無理だ」とつぶやいた。
With an expression that looked like resignation, he muttered, "It's impossible now."
課長の嫌味めいた言い方にはもう慣れました。
I've gotten used to my section chief's sarcastic-sounding way of speaking.
その喫茶店は、時代めいた雰囲気でとても落ち着く。
That coffee shop has an old-fashioned feel to it, so it's very calming.
うちの大学の新しい教授は、少し学者めいた人だ。
The new professor at our university is a somewhat scholarly person.