A yùyán (fable) is a short, imaginative story—often featuring talking animals or personified natural elements—that conveys a moral lesson. The character yù means 'to reside' or 'to imply', suggesting that meaning is embedded or hidden within the narrative; yán means 'speech' or 'words', indicating it is a spoken or literary form of expression. Together, yùyán literally suggests 'words that contain deeper meaning' or 'a story with an implied lesson'.

Fables are especially common in Chinese children’s literature and classical texts like Han Feizi, where they illustrate philosophical or ethical principles through vivid, memorable scenarios. While many fables involve animals (e.g., the fox and the crow), others use objects or natural forces. They’re valued not only for entertainment but also as tools for teaching wisdom, humility, honesty, or prudence in an accessible, non-didactic way.