如く・如き・如し

如く・如き・如し are classical/literary forms used to compare something to another thing, or to describe something in a way that evokes a strong similarity. They often appear in written or formal prose, poetry, or when aiming for a poetic tone. Unlike casual de to/に, these forms create a more vivid, sometimes formal comparison, and can emphasize strength, vividness, or inevitability of the similarity.