Argumentum, Vol. 21 (2025), pp. 95–116.

Warm Heart in Chinese and English

Shan Zhang

    Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), Doctoral School of Linguistics

    zhangshan929@gmail.com

DOI: 10.34103/ARGUMENTUM/2025/8

Abstract

This study explores the conceptualization of the term “warm heart” in Chinese and English, focusing on metaphorical expressions related to the heart and the concept of “warm” temperature (hot, warm, mild). Using Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT), the research analyzes data from the Center for Chinese Linguistics (CCL) and the Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA) to identify both shared and culture-specific mappings. The findings reveal that while universal bodily experiences lead to similar metaphorical understandings of “warm heart” in both languages, such as kindness and emotional movement evoked by others’ assistance or touching stories, cultural differences could also shape distinct conceptualizations. By comparing “warm heart” expressions, the study underscores the interplay between universal bodily experiences and cultural specificity in shaping metaphorical meaning.

Keywords: Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT), warm heart, body metaphor, Chinese, comparative study

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