Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ====== yùyán: 寓言 - Fable, Parable, Allegory ====== ===== Quick Summary ===== * **Keywords:** yuyan Chinese meaning, 寓言 in English, what is a yuyan, Chinese fable, Chinese parable, Chinese allegory, yuyan examples, famous Chinese fables, chengyu fables, 守株待兔, 伊索寓言, Chinese moral stories * **Summary:** The Chinese term **寓言 (yùyán)** refers to a fable, parable, or allegory—a short, fictional story designed to teach a moral lesson. Often featuring animals with human-like qualities, Chinese fables are a cornerstone of both classical philosophy and modern education. Understanding **yùyán** is key to unlocking the meaning behind many famous Chinese idioms (**成语, chéngyǔ**), as these stories provide the cultural context for much of the language's wisdom. This page explores the meaning, cultural significance, and practical usage of **寓言**, with clear examples for learners. ===== Core Meaning ===== * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** yùyán (yù yán) * **Part of Speech:** Noun * **HSK Level:** HSK 5 * **Concise Definition:** A short story, often with animal characters, that conveys a moral or a philosophical point. * **In a Nutshell:** Think of Aesop's Fables. A **寓言 (yùyán)** is a story with a hidden message. It's not just entertainment; it’s a vehicle for teaching wisdom, commenting on society, or explaining a complex philosophical idea in a simple, memorable way. It's a story that says one thing on the surface but means something much deeper. ===== Character Breakdown ===== * **寓 (yù):** This character means "to reside in," "to imply," or "to live in." It's composed of the "roof" radical (宀) over 禺 (yú). You can think of it as a meaning that //resides within// the story. * **言 (yán):** This character means "word," "speech," or "to say." It is a pictograph of a mouth with a tongue, representing speech. * When combined, **寓言 (yùyán)** literally translates to "implied speech" or "a meaning residing in words." This beautifully captures the essence of a fable: a story where the true meaning isn't stated directly but is implied for the reader to discover. ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== In China, **寓言 (yùyán)** are not just children's stories; they are a foundational part of the literary and philosophical tradition. Great thinkers like Zhuangzi (庄子), a key figure in Daoism, used fables extensively to illustrate abstract concepts that were difficult to explain through direct logic. The most significant cultural role of **寓言** is its direct link to **成语 (chéngyǔ)**, or four-character idioms. Many of the most famous chengyu are essentially the "punchline" or title of an ancient fable. For example, the chengyu `守株待兔 (shǒu zhū dài tù)`, "to guard a stump waiting for a rabbit," comes from a fable about a foolish farmer who, after seeing a rabbit accidentally kill itself by running into a tree stump, gives up farming to wait for another rabbit to do the same. The idiom now means "to wait for a windfall" or "to rely on luck instead of hard work." **Comparison to Western Culture:** While Western culture has Aesop's Fables and biblical parables, the connection isn't as deeply embedded in everyday language. An English speaker might say, "That's a 'boy who cried wolf' situation," but they wouldn't use "cried-wolf-ism" as a standard verb or adjective. In Chinese, the fable and the idiom are inseparable. Knowing the **寓言** behind a **成语** is essential to fully grasping its meaning and using it correctly. ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== * **In Education:** **寓言** are a primary tool for teaching morals and critical thinking to children. Textbooks and storybooks are filled with them. * **In Literature and Speeches:** Writers and speakers often use fables or allegorical stories to make a point more persuasively or to criticize something subtly without being confrontational. You might hear a manager tell a short **寓言** to their team to illustrate a point about cooperation. * **In Conversation:** Someone might describe a real-life event as a "modern-day fable" (现代寓言, xiàndài yùyán) to highlight the obvious moral lesson in what happened. Saying, "这个故事像一个寓言" (This story is like a fable), implies that there's a deeper lesson to be learned from it. * **Formality:** The term itself is neutral but often used in slightly more formal, literary, or educational contexts. ===== Example Sentences ===== * **Example 1:** * 老师今天给我们讲了一个**寓言**。 * Pinyin: Lǎoshī jīntiān gěi wǒmen jiǎng le yí ge **yùyán**. * English: The teacher told us a fable today. * Analysis: A simple, common sentence illustrating the basic use of **寓言** as an object. This is a very typical context. * **Example 2:** * 《伊索**寓言**》是全世界都很著名的书。 * Pinyin: "Yīsǔo **Yùyán**" shì quán shìjiè dōu hěn zhùmíng de shū. * English: "Aesop's Fables" is a very famous book all over the world. * Analysis: This shows how **寓言** is used to translate the concept from other cultures. 伊索 (Yīsǔo) is the phonetic transcription of "Aesop." * **Example 3:** * 很多成语都来自古代的**寓言**故事。 * Pinyin: Hěn duō chéngyǔ dōu láizì gǔdài de **yùyán** gùshi. * English: Many idioms come from ancient fables. * Analysis: This sentence directly states the crucial link between idioms (**成语**) and fables, often referred to as **寓言故事 (yùyán gùshi)**, "fable stories." * **Example 4:** * 这个电影其实是一个关于贪婪的现代**寓言**。 * Pinyin: Zhè ge diànyǐng qíshí shì yí ge guānyú tānlán de xiàndài **yùyán**. * English: This movie is actually a modern fable about greed. * Analysis: Here, **寓言** is used to describe a modern work of art, showing its applicability beyond ancient stories. * **Example 5:** * 你明白这个**寓言**背后的道理吗？ * Pinyin: Nǐ míngbai zhè ge **yùyán** bèihòu de dàolǐ ma? * English: Do you understand the moral behind this fable? * Analysis: This highlights the purpose of a **寓言**—to convey a **道理 (dàolǐ)**, or moral/principle. * **Example 6:** * 《守株待兔》是一个警告人们不要懒惰的**寓言**。 * Pinyin: "Shǒu zhū dài tù" shì yí ge jǐnggào rénmen búyào lǎnduò de **yùyán**. * English: "Waiting by a stump for a rabbit" is a fable that warns people not to be lazy. * Analysis: This sentence names a specific famous fable-idiom and explains its function. * **Example 7:** * 他的失败经历对我们所有人来说都是一个深刻的**寓言**。 * Pinyin: Tā de shībài jīnglì duì wǒmen suǒyǒu rén lái shuō dōu shì yí ge shēnkè de **yùyán**. * English: His experience of failure is a profound parable for all of us. * Analysis: This demonstrates the abstract use of **寓言** to describe a real-life situation that serves as a cautionary tale. * **Example 8:** * 庄子善于用**寓言**来解释他深奥的哲学思想。 * Pinyin: Zhuāngzǐ shànyú yòng **yùyán** lái jiěshì tā shēn'ào de zhéxué sīxiǎng. * English: Zhuangzi was skilled at using fables to explain his profound philosophical ideas. * Analysis: This sentence places **寓言** in its important historical and philosophical context. * **Example 9:** * 这不仅仅是一个笑话，它带有**寓言**的性质。 * Pinyin: Zhè bùjǐn jǐn shì yí ge xiàohua, tā dàiyǒu **yùyán** de xìngzhì. * English: This isn't just a joke; it has the nature of a fable. * Analysis: This shows how **寓言** can be used to describe the quality or "nature" (**性质, xìngzhì**) of a narrative. * **Example 10:** * 这篇短文用**寓言**的形式讽刺了社会上的一些现象。 * Pinyin: Zhè piān duǎnwén yòng **yùyán** de xíngshì fěngcì le shèhuì shàng de yìxiē xiànxiàng. * English: This short essay uses the form of a fable to satirize some social phenomena. * Analysis: This illustrates the use of **寓言** as a literary device for satire (**讽刺, fěngcì**). ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== The most common mistake for learners is to confuse **寓言 (yùyán)** with other types of stories. * **寓言 (yùyán) vs. 故事 (gùshi):** * **故事 (gùshi)** means "story." It is a general, all-encompassing term. A novel, a personal anecdote, and a movie plot are all **故事**. * **寓言 (yùyán)** is a //specific type// of story—one with a moral. * **Rule of thumb:** All **寓言** are **故事**, but not all **故事** are **寓言**. * Incorrect: 我给你讲一个关于我童年的**寓言**。 (I'll tell you a fable about my childhood.) * Correct: 我给你讲一个关于我童年的**故事**。 (I'll tell you a story about my childhood.) * **寓言 (yùyán) vs. 神话 (shénhuà):** * **神话 (shénhuà)** means "myth." Myths typically involve gods, goddesses, and supernatural beings, and often explain the origin of the world or natural phenomena (e.g., the myth of Pangu creating the universe). * **寓言** usually features ordinary, often personified, animals or people to teach a practical moral lesson. * **寓言 (yùyán) vs. 传说 (chuánshuō):** * **传说 (chuánshuō)** means "legend." A legend is a story that is often believed to have a historical basis but is not entirely verifiable (e.g., the legend of Mulan). * A **寓言** is understood to be entirely fictional, created specifically to make a point. ===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== * [[成语]] (chéngyǔ) - Four-character idioms, many of which are condensed fables. The connection is direct and vital. * [[故事]] (gùshi) - The general term for "story." A **寓言** is a type of **故事**. * [[道理]] (dàolǐ) - Reason, principle, or moral. This is the "point" or lesson that a **寓言** aims to teach. * [[比喻]] (bǐyù) - Metaphor or analogy. Fables are essentially extended metaphors. * [[讽刺]] (fěngcì) - Satire. Fables are often used as a tool for social or political satire. * [[神话]] (shénhuà) - Myth. A different genre of traditional story focusing on gods and creation. * [[传说]] (chuánshuō) - Legend. A different genre of story often rooted in a historical figure or event. * [[庄子]] (Zhuāngzǐ) - A famous Daoist philosopher who was a master of using **寓言** to convey his teachings. * [[守株待兔]] (shǒu zhū dài tù) - A famous chengyu that comes from a fable, meaning to rely on luck rather than effort. * [[拔苗助长]] (bá miáo zhù zhǎng) - A chengyu from a fable about a farmer who pulled on his sprouts to help them grow, killing them instead. It means to spoil things with excessive enthusiasm.