隐喻 (yǐn yù) — metaphor | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A 隐喻 is a metaphor — a rhetorical figure equating two things directly (e.g. 'time is money') without 'like' or 'as', unlike 明喻 which uses 像/如.

noun

metaphor

隐喻，。
Zhè shǒu shī yòng le hěn duō yǐn yù, ràng dú zhě gǎn shòu dào shī rén de qíng gǎn.
This poem uses many metaphors, allowing readers to feel the poet's emotions.
，隐喻。
Zài zhōng wén xiě zuò zhōng, yǐn yù shì yì zhǒng cháng jiàn de xiū cí shǒu fǎ.
In Chinese writing, metaphor is a common rhetorical device.
隐喻。
Lǎo shī yòng le yí gè yǒu qù de yǐn yù lái jiě shì zhè ge fù zá de gài niàn.
The teacher used an interesting metaphor to explain this complex concept.

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.

喻yùcomparison

隐 means hidden and 喻 means comparison, so 隐喻 is a hidden comparison.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 隱; 隐 is its simplified writing.

阝㥯隱

Meaning part形符xíngfú

阝Written in full as阜fù

Sound part声符shēngfú

㥯

㥯㥯隱yǐn

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 隱 pairs 阝 (阜) with 㥯 to give the sound; the simplified 隐 is a shorthand, so its right side is not 㥯.

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

口俞喻

Meaning part形符xíngfú

口口kǒumouth

Sound part声符shēngfú

俞

俞yú喻⁰yù

Same sound today

喻 pairs 口 (mouth) with 俞, which gives its sound.

Appears in