figurative; metaphorical
Used to describe language or expressions that are not literal, often in literary or rhetorical contexts.
彼の話は比喩的な表現が多かった。
His story was full of figurative expressions.
この詩は比喩的に解釈する必要がある。
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.