題だい言げん

noun

prefatory words; epigraph

Literary term for a short quotation or saying placed at the beginning of a book or chapter, often to suggest its theme.

• 小しょう説せつの冒ぼう頭とうに掲かかげられた題だい言げんが、作さく品ひん全ぜん体たいの雰ふん囲い気きを暗あん示じしている。

  The epigraph at the beginning of the novel hints at the atmosphere of the entire work.