よそえる

Meanings

1

ichidan verb

compare; liken

usually written using kana alone

Used when comparing one thing to another, often in a poetic or figurative way. Common in the pattern 〜に〜をよそえる.

彼かの女じょは人じん生せいを旅たびによそえた。
She likened life to a journey.
詩

し

人じん

は

月つき

を

銀ぎん

の

舟ふね

に

よそえ

た

。

The poet compared the moon to a silver boat.

2

ichidan verb

use as a pretext; pretend

Used when someone uses a false reason or excuse to hide their real intention. Often in the pattern 〜を口実によそえる or similar.

彼かれは病びょう気きを口こう実じつによそえて会かい合ごうを欠けっ席せきした。
He used illness as a pretext to skip the meeting.

Written forms

よそえるUsage100%
Usually written in kana; the kanji forms 寄える and 比える are rare and may not be recognized by many readers.
寄よそえる
Rare kanji form; the character 寄 suggests 'drawing near' or 'likening', but this spelling is uncommon.
比よそえる
Rare kanji form; 比 means 'compare', but this spelling is seldom used and may be confused with 比べる (くらべる).

Kanji

寄draw near, stop in, bring near
比compare, race, ratio

Similar words

例たとえる
例える is the common word for 'compare' or 'liken' in everyday speech. よそえる is more literary and less frequent.
見み立たてる
見立てる also means 'to liken' or 'to regard as', but often implies a deliberate choice or artistic comparison, while よそえる can be more poetic.

Etymology

The verb よそえる is of native Japanese origin. Its exact derivation is uncertain, but it may be related to 寄せる (よせる, 'to bring near') or 装う (よそおう, 'to dress up; to pretend'), suggesting a sense of 'bringing one thing close to another' or 'dressing up one thing as another'.