metaphor

metaphor — noun

1. language that compares two different things by saying one is the other, without

1.名詞B2
釋義

language that compares two different things by saying one is the other, without using words such as 'like' or 'as' — for example, saying 'her voice was music' to describe a beautiful voice.

例句

Marta wrote 'the moon was a silver coin' as a metaphor for the night sky.

metaphor using 'was' to directly compare two things

In Eitan's novel, the broken fence became a metaphor for lost trust among the neighbours.

metaphor + 'for' to link concrete object to abstract idea

同義詞
  • figure of speech

    broader term that includes metaphor, simile, and other rhetorical devices

  • image

    a mental picture created by language, often through metaphor

  • trope

    more technical term used in literary analysis for any figurative or metaphorical use of language

反義詞
  • literal statement

    language that means exactly what it says, with no comparison or figure of speech

  • simile

    a comparison that uses 'like' or 'as', unlike a metaphor which states the comparison directly

文法句型

metaphor for [something]

metaphor of [something]

用法筆記

Does NOT use connecting words such as 'like' or 'as' — those are characteristic of a simile, not a metaphor. Metaphors appear in both formal writing (poetry, speeches, academic texts) and casual conversation.

常見錯誤

❌That poem uses a metaphor with the word like.
✅That poem uses a simile, because it compares two things using the word like.
💡A simile uses 'like' or 'as'; a metaphor does not.
❌The author used a metaphor saying the character was careful.
✅The author used a metaphor by saying the character was a hawk watching from above.
💡A metaphor must compare two different things directly, not describe something literally.

2. a person, activity, or object that people think of as representing a broader qua

2.名詞B2
釋義

a person, activity, or object that people think of as representing a broader quality, idea, or situation — for example, seeing a crumbling wall as a metaphor for the end of a friendship.

例句

The empty house became a metaphor for Selim's loneliness after his move.

be + a metaphor for [abstract feeling]

Mauricio saw the flooded street as a metaphor for the growing chaos in his community.

see [object] as a metaphor for [abstract concept]

同義詞
  • symbol

    something that stands for or represents something else, often more broadly than a metaphor

  • representation

    a thing that stands for or depicts something in a particular way

  • emblem

    a visible object that represents a quality or idea, often in a formal or conventional way

文法句型

be a metaphor for [something]

serve as a metaphor for [something]

用法筆記

Subject is usually a concrete thing (e.g. an empty house, a long journey, a garden). The broader idea it represents is typically introduced by 'for' or 'of'. Often used in literary analysis, film criticism, and political commentary.

常見錯誤

❌The broken fence is a metaphor in the story.
✅The broken fence is a metaphor for the family's breakdown in the story.
💡A metaphor must represent something specific; state what the object stands for explicitly.