譬

Comparison used for illustration or explanation (analogy); specifically the use of one thing to illuminate another as a rhetorical or pedagogical tool.

• Verb: To liken; to compare by way of analogy (typically transitive).
• Noun: A parable, simile, or illustrative example; refers to the "vehicle" of the analogy itself.
• Hypothetical Marker (often as 譬如 pìrú): Translates as "for example," "suppose that," or "as if." In rhetorical contexts, this often introduces a theoretical scenario intended to prove a point by reduction rather than a simple list of examples.

• 譬 vs. 比 (bǐ): 比 is the general term for quantitative or qualitative comparison; 譬 is specifically analogical.
• 譬 vs. 喻 (yù): Closely related and often interchangeable (as in 譬喻 pìyù). 譬 emphasizes the act of setting up the comparison, while 喻 emphasizes the resulting clarity ("making understood").
• 譬 vs. 例 (lì): A 例 is a concrete factual instance or precedent; a 譬 is an analogy, which may be fictional or conceptual.

Avoid over-simplifying as "example." If the author uses 譬 rather than 例, they are likely deploying a constructed rhetorical device to build a conceptual bridge. The translation should reflect whether the text is presenting a factual sample ("such as") or inviting the reader into a hypothetical scenario ("consider the case of...").