隠喩(いんゆ)

いんゆ
noun
metaphor
formalacademiccommunication
1. metaphor; implied comparison
A figure of speech that describes one thing as being another, without using explicit comparison words. Contrasts with 直喩 (simile).
「人生(じんせい)は旅(たび)だ」は隠喩(いんゆ)だ。
'Life is a journey' is a metaphor.
隠喩(いんゆ)は直接的(ちょくせつてき)な比較(ひかく)を使(つか)わない。
Metaphor does not use direct comparison.
この詩(し)には多(おお)くの隠喩(いんゆ)が含(ふく)まれている。
This poem contains many metaphors.

Usage

隠喩(いんゆ) is a literary and grammatical term. Unlike 直喩(ちょくゆ) (simile), which uses comparison markers like ～のような, 隠喩(いんゆ) states the comparison directly: 「A は B だ」.

Also called 暗喩(あんゆ), which is a synonym.

Similar words

直喩(ちょくゆ) (simile) uses explicit comparison words. 隠喩(いんゆ) does not.

Forms

隠(いん) (hidden) + 喩(ゆ) (comparison/metaphor) — literally "hidden comparison."

Related Words

Compare: 直喩(ちょくゆ) (simile)
Related: 比喩(ひゆ) (figurative speech)
general
Added 2026.3.6 21:36 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
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