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陽否陰述 (ようひいんじゅつ) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

陽よう否ひ陰いん述じゅつ

よ

う

ひ

い

ん

じゅ

つ

Meanings

1

apophasis

A rhetorical device where the speaker brings up a subject by denying it will be mentioned. Rare, technical term used in rhetoric and literary analysis.

「彼かれの失しっ敗ぱいについては触ふれないが」という言いい回

まわ

し

は

陽よう

否ひ

陰いん

述じゅつ

の

一いち

例れい

だ

。

The phrase 'I won't mention his failure' is an example of apophasis.

Kanji

陽sunshine, yang principle, positive
否negate, no, noes
陰shade, yin, negative
述mention, state, speak

Etymology

The term is composed of 陽 (open, positive), 否 (deny), 陰 (hidden, negative), and 述 (state), literally meaning 'open denial, hidden statement'. The exact origin is uncertain, but it likely derives from Chinese rhetorical terminology.