HSK · Level 114
45 words
Chinese word
比喻
Pronunciation
Pinyinbǐ yù
Meaning
- nounmetaphor
Example
她喜欢用比喻说明复杂的想法。tā xǐ huān yòng bǐ yù shuō míng fù zá de xiáng fǎ
She likes to use metaphors to explain complex ideas.
More examples
他的比喻很生动，大家一听就明白。tā de bǐ yù hěn shēng dòng dà jiā yì tīng jiù míng bái
His metaphor is very vivid, and everyone understands it as soon as they hear it.
Core concept
A known scene serves as a lens that makes another thing's qualities or relationships clear.
Common phrases
运用比喻yùn yòng bǐ yù
use metaphors
比喻手法bǐ yù shóu fǎ
metaphorical technique
生动的比喻shēng dòng de bǐ yù
vivid metaphor
Similar words
隐喻yǐn yù: One thing is described as another through an implied comparison with no comparison words.
明喻míng yù: A direct comparison shows a similarity between two things with a comparison word.
拟人nǐ rén: An object or animal is described as having human traits or emotions.
类比lèi bǐ: Reasoning from a shared feature helps explain something or draw a conclusion.
Definition in Chinese
借助熟悉的事物或形象，用比较或暗示的方式说明、描绘另一事物的特征、关系或程度的修辞手法或说法。jiè zhù shú xī de shì wù huò xíng xiàng yòng bǐ jiào huò àn shì de fāng shì shuō míng miáo huì lìng yí shì wù de tè zhēng guān xì huò chéng dù de xiū cí shóu fǎ huò shuō fǎ
Word origin
比 (bǐ, "compare") + 喻 (yù, "make clear through analogy") form a compound whose structure links comparison with explanation.
Usage tips
- When an English speaker says "It's like..." in conversation, Chinese often uses a short framing phrase before the comparison, which helps listeners recognize that the next image is not a literal claim.
Opposites
- 字面意思zì miàn yì siliteral meaningnoun
Related words
- 比喻法bǐ yù fǎmetaphorical methodnoun
- 比喻句bǐ yù jùmetaphorical sentencenoun