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なぞらえる Japanese meaning | Kotomora

なぞらえる

also: なずらえる

な

ぞ

ら

え

る

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

ichidan verb, transitive verb

liken to; compare to

usually written using kana alone

Used when drawing a parallel between two things, often in a figurative or poetic way. The pattern is AをBになぞらえる (liken A to B).

人じん生せいを旅たびになぞらえる。
I liken life to a journey.
彼かの女じょはよく人ひとを動どう物ぶつになぞらえて

話はな

す

。

She often talks by comparing people to animals.

2

ichidan verb, transitive verb

model after; pattern after; imitate

usually written using kana alone

Used when creating something by following a model or example. The pattern is AをBになぞらえる (model A after B).

この庭てい園えんは京きょう都との有ゆう名めいな庭にわになぞらえて作つくられた。
This garden was created by modeling it after a famous garden in Kyoto.
彼かれは先せん輩ぱいのやり方かたになぞらえて仕し事ごとを進すすめた。
He proceeded with the work by imitating his senior's method.

Written forms

なぞらえるUsage94%
Usually written in kana; the kanji forms 準える, 擬える, and 准える are rare.
擬えるUsage4%
- なぞらえる
  Rare kanji form; the kana spelling is strongly preferred.
- なずらえる
  rarely-used kana form
準えるUsage3%
- なぞらえる
  Rare kanji form; the kana spelling is strongly preferred.
- なずらえる
  rarely-used kana form
准える
rarely-used kanji form
- なぞらえる
  Rarely used kanji form; the kana spelling is strongly preferred.
- なずらえる
  rarely-used kana form
なずらえる
rarely-used kana form
Rarely used kana form; the standard reading is なぞらえる.

Kanji

準semi-, correspond to, proportionate to
擬mimic, aim (a gun) at, nominate
准quasi-, semi-, associate

Similar words

例たとえる
例える is more common for everyday comparisons and similes, while なぞらえる often carries a more literary or figurative nuance.
模も倣ほうする
模倣する means to copy or imitate directly, often without the creative adaptation implied by なぞらえる.

Etymology

Derived from the classical verb なぞらふ, which combined the prefix な- (of uncertain origin) with そらふ (to imitate, to liken). The modern form なぞらえる is the ichidan-ized version.