Definitions

(verb) to explain by analogy; to use a metaphor
(noun) metaphor; analogy

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character "喻" is structured as a phono-semantic compound, combining the phonetic component "俞" with the semantic radical "口", thereby associating its pronunciation with meanings centered on speech and verbal communication. Etymologically, it originally functioned as a verb denoting the act of explaining, informing, or causing someone to understand, as seen in early classical texts where it conveyed comprehension or clarification. Over time, its semantic range broadened to include the concept of metaphor or analogy, becoming a fundamental element in terms like "比喻", which reflects a shift from literal instruction to figurative expression. This development illustrates how the character's core idea of making things known through language gradually incorporated a rhetorical dimension, allowing it to serve both explanatory and comparative functions within Chinese linguistic practice.

Etymology Hide

Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Cao Wei (Three Kingdoms: 222-280 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

这个比很好懂。

Zhège bǐyù hěn hǎo dǒng.

This metaphor is easy to understand.

他用比来解释概念。

Tā yòng bǐyù lái jiěshì gàiniàn.

He uses metaphors to explain concepts.

黑暗示着危险。

Hēi'àn yùshì zhe wēixiǎn.

Darkness indicates danger.

这个故事有深刻的义。

Zhège gùshì yǒu shēnkè de yùyì.

This story has profound meaning.

老师常用比让学生更容易理解难题。

Lǎoshī cháng yòng bǐyù ràng xuéshēng gèng róngyì lǐjiě nántí.

The teacher often uses metaphors to help students understand difficult problems more easily.

在修辞学中,体是比的重要组成部分。

Zài xiūcíxué zhōng, yùtǐ shì bǐyù de zhòngyào zǔchéng bùfèn.

In rhetoric, the vehicle is an important part of a metaphor.

尽管这个比略显牵强,但它有效地传达了情感。

Jǐnguǎn zhège bǐyù lüè xiǎn qiānqiǎng, dàn tā yǒuxiào de chuándále qínggǎn.

Although this metaphor is somewhat far-fetched, it effectively conveys emotion.

通过将人生为旅程,诗人巧妙地表达了成长与变迁的主题。

Tōngguò jiāng rénshēng yù wéi lǚchéng, shīrén qiǎomiào de biǎodále chéngzhǎng yǔ biànqiān de zhǔtí.

By comparing life to a journey, the poet skillfully expresses the themes of growth and change.