What does 例え mean?
例え is a Japanese noun meaning “example; even though” in English. It can also be translated as “simile” depending on context. It is written as 例え in kanji, たとえ in hiragana, and tatoe in romaji. This word is part of JLPT N3 vocabulary.
Example sentence
「陸に上がった河童」とは環境が変わったために能力を発揮できずにいることのたとえです。
"A fish out of water" is a metaphor for being unable to use your talents due to a change of environment.