rhetorical device; substitution by association
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 5 examplesnoun
metonymy; synecdoche; rhetorical substitution
formalA figure of speech where a term is substituted with another closely related term. The substitute can be a part for the whole (synecdoche) or an associated attribute for the thing itself (metonymy).
“
hóng红
lǐng领
jīn巾
cān参
jiā加
zhí植
shù树
láo劳
dòng动
”
zhōng中
de的
“
hóng红
lǐng领
jīn巾
”
jiù就
shì是
dài代
tì替
“
shào少
xiān先
duì队
yuán员
”
。
In the sentence 'Red scarves take part in tree-planting labor,' 'red scarves' is used to represent 'Young Pioneers.'
“
bái白
gōng宫
fā发
biǎo表
shēng声
míng明
”
shì是
jiè借
dài代
，
yòng用
“
bái白
gōng宫
”
zhǐ指
dài代
měi美
guó国
zhèng政
fǔ府
。
'The White House issued a statement' is metonymy, using 'the White House' to refer to the US government.
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Gǔ古
rén人
cháng常
yòng用
“
sī丝
zhú竹
”
jiè借
dài代
yīn音
yuè乐
。
Ancient people often used 'silk and bamboo' (instruments) to represent music.
Yòng用
“
bǐ笔
gǎn杆
zi子
”
jiè借
dài代
néng能
xiě写
wén文
zhāng章
de的
rén人
，
shì是
yī一
zhǒng种
cháng常
jiàn见
de的
xiū修
cí辞
shǒu手
fǎ法
。
Using 'pen-holder' to represent a skilled writer is a common rhetorical device.
Jiè借
dài代
kě可
yǐ以
shǐ使
yǔ语
yán言
biǎo表
dá达
gèng更
shēng生
dòng动
xíng形
xiàng象
。
Metonymy can make language more vivid and descriptive.