A Comparative Analysis of the Metaphorical and Metonymic Usage of Fixed Expressions Related to the Chinese Words “口, 嘴” and the English Word “mouth”

Abstract

The English word “mouth” and the Chinese words “口 - kǒu, 嘴 – zuǐ - mouth” demonstrate validity in metaphorical and metonymic usage. Both are based on the shape, function, and modes of operation of the mouth. From a metonymic perspective, these words exhibit the same substitution relationship within a single cognitive domain, while each retains its unique characteristics. From a metaphorical perspective, these words can be projected onto the domains of shape/objects, emotion/behavior, social relations, and character; additionally, the Chinese “口 - kǒu, 嘴 - zuǐ” can be projected onto the knowledge/intellect domain. The projection range of Chinese words is broad and highly productive, which is attributed to the cognitive and linguistic features of English and Chinese. Cognitively, the metaphorical projections of these words reflect the approaches “以身喻心- yǐ shēn yù xīn- expressing thoughts and feelings through the body” and “以身喻身 - yǐ shēn yù shēn - expressing the body through the body”. The article examines fixed expressions related to the concept of “mouth” in English and Chinese in their denotative and connotative meanings, and provides a comparative analysis of their metaphorical and metonymic usage.