一模一样
- Literal
- one mold, one same shape
- Figurative
- Exactly alike, identical; said of two things or people that cannot be told apart.
Where does 一模一样 come from?
It does not come from a specific anecdote; it is a very common set phrase. It is built from two parallel pairs (一模 "one mold" and 一样 "one shape"), and here 模 is read "mú" because it refers to a casting mold: whatever comes out of the same mold is identical. It is attested at least in Qing-dynasty vernacular fiction and is thoroughly colloquial today.
How is 一模一样 used? Two examples
- 这对双胞胎长得一模一样，我总是分不清。
These twins look exactly alike; I can never tell them apart.
- 她买的裙子和我的一模一样，真尴尬。
The dress she bought is identical to mine; how awkward.
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