Allusion

典故

Allusion is a passing reference, without explicit identification, to a literary or historical person, place, or event, or to another literary work or passage. Most allusions serve to illustrate or expand upon or enhance a subject, but some are used in order to undercut it ironically by the discrepancy between the subject and the allusion.

典故是没有明确关联性的转变参照，类比某一文学或历史人物、地点或事件，或是另一篇文学作品及章节。多数典故用于阐明、展开或渲染主题，但也有一些是通过主题与典故的不一致之处来达到反讽贬低的目的。