辞書形＋ように : Is there a hint to understand different usages?


Consider the first example:

**~like, as if** meaning:

> _この本に書いてある **ように** 作ればおいしいドレッシングができるよ。_

_You can make a delicious dressing if you make it as written in this book._

Further, in the next example:

**~in order** meaning:

> 始発電車に間に合う **ように** 早く家を出た。

_I left home early in order to be on time for the first train._

In a random phrase, I never know which direction to follow. I try, in my mind,
the different meanings, until reaching the one that fits in context. But it
leads to a really slow reading. Is there any hint?




I don't have enough rep to comment, but as a rule of thumb I usually look at
the part of the sentence before ように and gauge if this will require any effort
from my side. If it does, then I expect the ように to denote purpose, otherwise I
expect the ように to denote a likeness or state. There are, of course, ambiguous
cases.

## _Examples of purpose_

> 花瓶{かびん}を落{お}とさないように気{き}を付{つ}けてね。
>
> 花瓶 is a vase, 落とす means to drop, 気を付ける means to pay attention. A vase will
> not drop itself, which means I should be careful in order not to drop the
> vase.

> 壺{つぼ}が輝{かがや}くように磨{みが}く。
>
> 壺 is a decorative urn, 輝く means to shine, 磨く means to polish. The urn will
> not polish itself to shine more brightly, so I will have to polish it in
> order to make it shine more brightly.

> 合格{ごうかく}できるように頑張{がんば}る。
>
> 合格 means to pass an exam, 頑張る means to do an effort. I will have to work
> hard to pass an exam.

## _Examples of likeness or states_

> 石{いし}のように固{かた}い。
>
> 石 means stone, no other information can make me believe I am required to do
> anything. Therefore, it will likely refer to something like a stone.

> 昨日{きのう}テレビで見{み}たように作{つく}ってみる。
>
> 昨日テレビで見た means "Something I've seen on TV yesterday." This alone does not
> express a purpose or obligation, so it's likely to refer to the likeness of
> what I saw.

> 草{くさ}の中{なか}に蛇{へび}がいるように見{み}えたけど、ホースだった。
>
> 草の中に蛇がいる means "There is a snake in the grass." Again, there is no
> indication for any effort or obligation from my side. ホースだった reveals that
> the I saw something that looked like a snake in the grass, but it was just a
> garden hose.

> あの人{ひと}はお金{かね}があるようですね。
>
> あの人はお金がある means "That person has money." Which again does not require an
> effort from your side, it just means the speaker makes an assumption about
> that person's state.

## _Ambiguous examples_

Consider these two sentences that start with 「日本語{にほんご}が読{よ}めるように」, which
means being able to read Japanese. Here, the context of whatever comes before
ように is not enough.

> 日本語が読めるようになる。
>
> He learns how to read Japanese. (his "state" changes from not being able to
> read Japanese to being able to read Japanese)

> 日本語が読めるように勉強{べんきょう}する。
>
> He studies in order to learn how to read Japanese.

Here, I rely on the fact that なる is often used to describe a passive change,
whereas する refers to an active effort.

## _Mixed example_

Finally, you can combine the different meanings of ように to get interesting
constructions.

> 岩{いわ}のように動{うご}かないようにしっかり固定{こてい}する。
>
> Firmly fix something in order to prevent if from moving, like a rock. (the
> rock being something that is hard to move)

As I said, it's just my personal rule of thumb.

