犹如
yóurú · HSK 7
like
犹如 = 犹 (as if) + 如 (like) — two like-words stacked to mean just like
Both halves already mean like or as: 犹 (as if) and 如 (resembling). Doubling them yields just as; comparable to. Sound hook: yóurú rhymes with you-roo, a smooth glide from one thing to its match.
如 — woman radical 女 + mouth 口
Originally a phono-semantic compound where 女 (woman) suggested compliance and 口 (mouth) indicated speaking or following orders. The early sense was 'to follow' or 'to comply with what is said,' which extended to 'to be like' or 'as if.' Modern uses like 'if' and 'such as' grew from this comparative meaning.