諷喩

• Reading: ふうゆ
• Romaji: fūyu
• Kanji breakdown: 諷 (fū) — allusive verse, indirect admonishment; 喩 (yu) — metaphor, parable
• Pronunciation: /ɸɯː.jɯ/

Meaning

Allegory; a sustained figurative narrative in which characters, events, or settings consistently represent abstract ideas, moral qualities, or political realities.

A noun in literary theory referring to extended metaphor — where the surface narrative systematically maps onto a deeper, often moral or political meaning. Distinct from a simple metaphor (比喩), 諷喩 implies a structured, sustained correspondence throughout a work. Aesop's fables and Orwell's Animal Farm are classic Western examples, while Japanese literary tradition also has allegorical tales in the 諷喩 mode, particularly in didactic Buddhist literature.

Examples

1. この物語は表面的には動物たちの冒険だが、作者の諷喩として読み解くと政治批判が浮かび上がる。 On the surface this story is an adventure of animals, but when read as the author's allegory, political criticism emerges.
2. 中世の文学には諷喩を用いた寓話が多く、道徳的な教訓を物語に託した。 Medieval literature contains many allegorical fables that entrusted moral lessons to narrative.
3. 諷喩と象徴の違いを理解することは、文学批評の基礎の一つだ。 Understanding the difference between allegory and symbol is one of the foundations of literary criticism.

Usage Guide

Context: literary theory, rhetoric, classical literature, criticism

Tone: scholarly

Origin & History

From 諷 (indirect admonishment, allusive recitation) and 喩 (metaphor, comparison, parable). Together they name the art of saying one thing while consistently meaning another through extended figurative structure.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical to modern

Generation: Scholars

Social background: Academic