Metaphor, Culture, and Chinese Zodiac Expressions: A Review of Research and Pedagogical Implications for Chinese Language Education

This review examines Chinese zodiac metaphorical expressions as culturally embedded forms of figurative language in Chinese. It synthesizes research on conceptual metaphor, cultural cognition, animal metaphors, Chinese zodiac symbolism, idioms and fixed expressions, cross-linguistic transfer, and vocabulary pedagogy. The review argues that Chinese zodiac expressions are not merely idioms containing animal names, but linguistic forms shaped by cultural symbolism, metaphorical mapping, pragmatic convention, and learner interpretation. Existing research has contributed to the explanation of zodiac culture and animal-related idioms, yet it often remains focused on cultural description and semantic explanation. Less attention has been paid to how learners of Chinese interpret these expressions, how first-language transfer influences comprehension, and how such expressions can be taught systematically. The review proposes that teaching Chinese zodiac metaphorical expressions should move beyond translation and memorization toward an integrated approach that combines literal imagery, cultural explanation, metaphor awareness, pragmatic use, and cross-linguistic comparison. Future research should further examine learner cognition, classroom practice, corpus-based usage, and graded vocabulary design.