Japanese symbol for “metaphor”
比喩
ひゆ
Romaji: hiyu
simile; metaphor; allegory; parable
In Japanese, metaphor is 比喩, read ひゆ (hiyu).
Before using these characters for a tattoo, check them with a native speaker. Dictionary words often have several meanings, and the right choice depends on context.
Meanings
- n simile; metaphor; allegory; parable
Written forms: 比喩、譬喩、比ゆ、比諭. Readings: ひゆ.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “metaphor”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 形容 | けいよう keiyou | description; expression (in words); qualification (e.g. of a noun with an adjective) |
| 暗喩 | あんゆ an'yu | metaphor |
| 隠喩 | いんゆ in'yu | metaphor |
| 例え | たとえ tatoe | simile; metaphor; allegory |
| メタファー | メタファー metafaa | metaphor |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 比較 | ひかく hikaku | comparison |
| 比べる | くらべる kuraberu | to compare; to make a comparison (between) |
| 比率 | ひりつ hiritsu | ratio; proportion; percentage |
| 比例 | ひれい hirei | proportion |
| 比べ | くらべ kurabe | contest; comparison; competition |
| 比較的 | ひかくてき hikakuteki | comparatively; relatively |
| 暗喩 | あんゆ an'yu | metaphor |
| 隠喩 | いんゆ in'yu | metaphor |
See also: Chinese symbol for “metaphor”.
Data: JMdict (CC BY-SA 4.0); KANJIDIC2 (CC BY-SA 4.0); KanjiVG (CC BY-SA 3.0); wordfreq (CC BY-SA 4.0 (data)). Retrieved 2026-10-22.