Chinese Metaphorical Expressions in Talking About the End-of-Life Journey

Abstract

Aging, illness, and death are inevitable stages of life that are prominently conceptualized in every culture and language. Considered as taboo topics, they are often euphemized through metaphor. Therefore, it is necessary for language learners and medical practitioners to understand the nature of metaphoric euphemisms and their implicated meanings since talking about them is unavoidable. This chapter investigates the Chinese metaphoric euphemisms related to aging, illness, and death. The LIFE IS A JOURNEY metaphor is elaborated with Chinese examples to illustrate the formation of metaphoric expressions. In light of the findings, this chapter outlines pedagogical implications for the teaching of Chinese during medical and nursing training or for use in the training of already qualified medical professionals for effective patient–physician/nurse communication.