How to Write 譬 (pì) — Meaning “Metaphor; Example”

Imagine a person (辟) standing on a platform and speaking (言) to a crowd, saying "For example..." to give an analogy. The top part 辟 looks like a person with open arms, showing they are opening up a new idea. This visual helps link the character to the meaning of "metaphor" or "example."

The top part 辟 has many strokes: pay attention to the balance between the left side (尸 and 口) and the right side (辛). The bottom 言 must be written smaller and centered under the top part, not wider than it. A common mistake is making the bottom 言 too large or misaligning it, which makes the character look unbalanced.

䜌 (luán) is rare and means "chaos" or "to connect," with a different top structure (two 糸). 謦 (qǐng) means "to cough lightly" and has 殸 (sound) on top instead of 辟. 譬 specifically carries the meaning of "example" or "metaphor" and is used in phrases like 譬如, while the others do not relate to comparison.

譬 is most often used in formal or written Chinese, especially in the common word 譬如 (pì rú), meaning "for example" or "such as." It is less common in casual speech, where 比如 (bǐ rú) is more typical. In classical literature, 譬喻 is used to describe analogies and parables, reflecting a long tradition of using metaphors in Chinese rhetoric and philosophy.

Common words containing 譬 include: 譬如 (pì rú) — For example; Such as; 譬喻 (pì yù) — Metaphor; Analogy; 比譬 (bǐ pì) — Metaphor / Parable.