Meaning & readings
metaphor, compare
On’yomi ユ
Kun’yomi たと.える、さと.す
Origin
The character combines mouth (口) on the left with a sound component (兪) on the right that suggests the pronunciation. The mouth element hints at speaking or explanation, while the overall character developed to represent the act of comparing things through words or making something understood through comparison. When you explain one thing by comparing it to another using words, you're creating a metaphor or helping someone grasp an idea—which is what this kanji expresses.
Components
- 口
- 兪
Common words
- 比喩 ひゆ simile; metaphor
Easily confused with
These look alike but are unrelated in meaning — check the stroke that differs.
Reference
- Strokes
- 12
- Kangxi radical
- 30
- Formation type
- Compound ideographic (combined meanings)
- Grade
- Jōyō (secondary school)
- Frequency rank
- —
- Former JLPT
- —
- Unicode
- U+055A9