Metaphor and comparison are two of the best known speech figures. Within the category of figures of speech, they represent word pictures.
A metaphor is a figure of speech that indicates two common semantic features between two concepts or ideas. Metaphor is very important in human communication. Seriously practically impossible to talk and think without resorting to metaphor. Recent research shows that during a conversation, humans use an average of 4 metaphors per minute.
Metaphor Example
"That man is a bull, I have never seen anyone so strong!" In this case, the man is characterized as a bull because he is strong like that animal. The demonstrated strength is the common semantic trait between the two.
Comparison is very similar to metaphor, and is used to confront features or actions of some elements. The comparison can be simple or simile, when the two elements are from different universes or categories. In the case of the comparison, there is a connecting word (like, looked, like, like, etc).
Comparison example
"My daughter is like an angel." This example expresses the comparison made by a mother, praising some characteristics that make her daughter look like an angel.
Metaphor and comparison are so similar that some experts classify metaphor examples as "comparison implicit" (because it does not have the connection element characteristic of the comparison) and the comparison examples such as "comparison explicit".
Meet some famous metaphors and see more Examples of metaphors.