State Of Things
Situation, Condition
noun
The manner of your child changes with the state of things.
様子 is a versatile word that refers to the state of things — essentially, how things appear or seem. It can describe a situation, someone's condition, appearance, demeanor, or manner, or even the atmosphere in a room (the "vibe").
This is a jukugo word that uses on'yomi readings of the kanji. But the す reading for 子 here is less common and you haven't seen it yet, so here's a mnemonic to help you out:
When you're not pleased with the state of things, you sue (す). Sue the government, sue your neighbors, sue whoever. Yep, suing is the only way to improve the state of things.
様子が分かる
to understand something's condition
様子が変わる
the state of something changes
様子が違う
to seem different
様子を見る
to wait and see how things play out
様子を聞く
to ask about the situation
様子をうかがう
to gauge the situation
子供の様子
the child's condition
活動の様子
the state of an activity
授業の様子
the state of a class
しばらく様子を見ましょう。
Let's wait and see how things go for a little while.
息子は「これで足りるかな？」と不安そうな様子で言いました。
Seeming anxious, my son said, "I wonder if this will be enough."
昨日からお父さんの様子がおかしいんだけど、何かあったのかな？
Dad's been acting strange since yesterday — I wonder if something happened.