figurative; metaphorical
Used to describe language or expressions that are not literal, often in literary or rhetorical contexts.
His story was full of figurative expressions.
This poem needs to be interpreted figuratively.
文字通り means something is true exactly as stated, while 比喩的 means it is meant figuratively or metaphorically.
Compound of 比喩 (metaphor) + 的 (-like, -ic). The exact historical derivation of 比喩 is uncertain, but the combination follows a standard pattern for forming adjectival nouns.