彷彿

From s:zh:淮南子/俶真訓

天含和而未降，地懷氣而未揚，虛無寂寞，蕭條霄雿，無有彷彿，氣遂而大通冥冥者也 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

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天含和而未降，地怀气而未扬，虚无寂寞，萧条霄雿，无有彷佛，气遂而大通冥冥者也 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: Huainanzi, 2^nd century BCE

tiān hán hé ér wèi jiàng, dì huái qì ér wèi yáng, xū wú jìmò, xiāotiáo xiāo雿, wú yǒu pángfó, qì suì ér dà tōng míngmíng zhě yě [Pinyin]

The yang energy contained in the sky has not yet declined, and the yin energy contained in the earth has not yet risen. There is nothingness and loneliness between heaven and earth, a deep depression, nothingness and vagueness, and the qi has only been generated and circulated in the deep darkness.

彷彿

1. as if; as though
2. similar to
3. vague, seeming like

• (as if):

• 髣髴

彷(ほう)彿(ふつ) • (hōfutsu) 

1. close resemblance
2. a reminder of the past

彷(ほう)彿(ふつ)する • (hōfutsu suru) suru (stem 彷(ほう)彿(ふつ)し (hōfutsu shi), past 彷(ほう)彿(ふつ)した (hōfutsu shita))

1. be reminiscent of