比拟 (bǐnǐ) is a formal verb meaning 'to compare' or 'to draw an analogy', especially in literary, rhetorical, or analytical contexts. The first character 比 (bǐ) means 'to compare' or 'to match', while 拟 (nǐ) means 'to imitate', 'to liken', or 'to draft'. Together, they emphasize not just surface-level comparison but a deliberate, often imaginative or figurative, act of equating two things to highlight similarity in nature, function, or quality — for example, describing courage as 'a roaring lion' or time as 'a river'. It’s common in essays, speeches, poetry, and critical writing.

This word carries a slightly elevated register and is rarely used in casual speech. It frequently appears in the structure 'A 可与 B 相比拟' ('A can be compared with B') or '无与伦比' (a fixed phrase meaning 'unparalleled'). Unlike the more neutral 比较 (bǐjiào), 比拟 implies creative or expressive equivalence, sometimes bordering on metaphorical personification or symbolic alignment.