与明喻和暗喻相比，借喻的形式更简短，喻体和本体的关系更密切——因为本体和喻词都不出现，直接由喻体来代替本体。这种最隐蔽的比喻形式使得喻体更加引人注目，从而突出了它所取代的本体的意义和特征。

英语中的metaphor —部分类似于汉语的暗喻,还有一部分类似于汉语的借喻。下面通过例句分析译者对《红楼梦》中借喻的翻译情况。

首先来比较同一喻体在不同上下文中的译文：

1)凤姐也不多坐,执意就走了。进园中将此事告诉与尤二姐，又说我怎么操心打听，又怎么设法子，须得如此如此方救下众人无罪，少不得我去拆开这鱼头，大家才好。（第六十八回）

杨译：

She went to the Garden and told Second Sister what had happened，explaining how worried she had been, how she had ascertained the facts，and what would have to be done to keep them all out of trouble. She promised to get them out of the dilemma.

霍译：

As soon as she was back，Xi-feng went into the Garden to tell Er-jie about these latest developments. She told her how worried she had been when she heard about the lawsuit，and what she had found out as a result of her inquiries.Then she explained what had to be done now in order to ensure that none of the others got into trouble.

2)我听见这话，气得倒仰，查是谁说的，又查不出来。这日久天长，这些个奴才们跟前，怎么说嘴。我反弄了个鱼头来拆。（第六十九回）

杨译：

Talk like that makes me furious. I've tried to find out who started this, but I can't.If this goes on, how are we to hold up our heads in front of these slaves? I seem to have landed myself in a foul mess.

霍译：

Needless to say, when I first heard this story I was flabbergasted. I've tried to find out who started it，but I've had no success. Oh,these servants! Just as I thought I'd done something to feel proud of，I find that I've got a fish's head like this on my plate to contend with!'

凤姐两次用“鱼头”作喻体，用以比喻一件麻烦的事情。例1的两段译文都没有译出这一喻义；例2的杨译 I seem to have landed myself in a foul mess.虽然也是比喻句（是以seem to为喻词的明喻），如果运用“回译法”检验，其意为“我反身处一片乱麻之中”——显然比原文的“鱼头”显得俗套、抽象。单就对借喻的翻译进行评价而言，只有例2的霍译保留了原文生动的喻体形象，其修辞效果可与原文相媲美。

再请比较下面的译文：

3)白眉赤脸，那里来的孩子？他不过指着哄我们那个棉花耳朵的爷罢了。（第六十九回）

杨译：

Which of all those fine fellows she knew got her with child? It's only this credulous master of ours who's taken in by her.

霍译：

I'd like to ask her where she got that child from. She may fool that cottoneared master of ours.