joseping wrote: An example of my question: 남자답게 - to be like a man?
If so, then why not use 남자같다 or 남자처럼?
남자같다 and 남자처럼 also mean "to be like a man" though,
the subject of these descriptions shouldn't be a man or having no idea man or woman.
그녀는 멀리서 보면 꼭 남자같다.
She looks like a man from the distance.
그녀는 남자처럼 걷는다.
She walks like a man.
남자답다 is supposed to be used for men.
너는 남자니까 남자답게 행동해라.
Since you're a man, be a man. (act like a man)
Sometimes we use 남자같이 or 남자처럼 to describe a man though,
they have the nuance of what I've explained anyways.
Maybe I can say -답다 means "to be like the way it should be"
