LessonsKināyah: Definition, Implication, Literal Meaning, and Its Difference from MajāzQuiz

كَالِانْتِقَالِ مِنَ الْغَيْثِ إِلَى النَّبْتِ وَمِنَ الْأَسَدِ إِلَى الشُّجَاعِ
As the transition from rain to vegetation, and from lion to a brave person.

Ghayth means rain, which can be the cause of vegetation; using “rain” for the vegetation invokes a cause-and-effect relation. Asad means a lion; applying it to a brave person uses resemblance in courage together with a contextual indication of figurative intention.

In each case, a word is applied beyond its ordinary referent. The examples explain the direction of figurative transfer; they do not imply that both use the same specific type of semantic relationship.

Opening interactive controls...

Rain and lion as examples of majāz

Kināyah: Definition, Implication, Literal Meaning, and Its Difference from Majāz

كَالِانْتِقَالِ مِنَ الْغَيْثِ إِلَى النَّبْتِ وَمِنَ الْأَسَدِ إِلَى الشُّجَاعِ
As the transition from rain to vegetation, and from lion to a brave person.

Ghayth means rain, which can be the cause of vegetation; using “rain” for the vegetation invokes a cause-and-effect relation. Asad means a lion; applying it to a brave person uses resemblance in courage together with a contextual indication of figurative intention.

In each case, a word is applied beyond its ordinary referent. The examples explain the direction of figurative transfer; they do not imply that both use the same specific type of semantic relationship.