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寓言 (yù yán) — fable

Definition

A 寓言 is a fable — a short story, often with animals, that teaches a lesson. Compare with 寓意, which is the moral or message of such a story, not the story itself.

noun
fable
Measure word · 则
Easily confused

Examples

  • 寓言。
    Zhè zé yù yán jiǎng le yí gè guān yú chéng shí de gù shi.
    This fable tells a story about honesty.
  • 寓言。
    Wǒ xǐ huan dú zhōng guó gǔ dài de yù yán.
    I like reading ancient Chinese fables.
  • 寓言。
    Lǎo shī yòng yù yán lái jiào wǒ men zuò rén de dào lǐ.
    The teacher used fables to teach us principles of life.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

寓yùentrust
言yánwords

The 寓 meaning entrust combines with 言 meaning words to mean words that carry a hidden lesson.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
宀宀mián
Sound part声符shēngfú
禺
禺yú寓yù
Same sound today

寓 combines 宀, a roof, with 禺, which gives the sound.

Open 寓 →

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

The early form of 言 shows an opening and a mark indicating a location; the location is not described as the source of speech.

Open 言 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Literature & Poetry

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