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〜とみえる・〜とみえて

it seems, apparently (judging by the signs)

Plain form + とみえる / とみえて

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とみえる draws a conclusion from visible evidence: 彼女は何かいいことがあったとみえる, "she seems to have had some good news".

とみえて gives the conclusion and then the evidence: 雨が降ったとみえて、道が濡れている, "it must have rained, because the road is wet". This order, guess first and evidence second, is typical of this pattern.

It's a literary cousin of らしい (N4) and ようだ, and it's common in narration. The subject is someone or something the speaker is observing, not the speaker.

It's written とみえる or と見える, and it comes from 見える, "to appear". Compare ように見える (N3), which is about how something looks, not a conclusion.

Examples

  • 彼かれは疲つかれているとみえて、電車でんしゃで眠ねむっていた。

    He must have been tired. He was asleep on the train.

  • 彼女かのじょは何なにかいいことがあったとみえる。

    She seems to have had some good news.

  • 雨あめが降ふったとみえて、道みちが濡ぬれている。

    It must have rained, because the road is wet.

  • よほど嬉うれしかったとみえて、彼かれはずっと笑わらっている。

    He must have been really pleased. He hasn't stopped smiling.

  • この店みせは人気にんきがあるとみえる。いつも行列ぎょうれつだ。

    This place must be popular. There's always a queue.

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