Conceptual Metaphors and Their Translation Strategies in Political Discourse: A Case Study of the 2026 Report on the Work of the Government

Abstract

Metaphor plays an essential role in political discourse. Guided by the Cognitive Translation Hypothesis, this paper investigates the metaphorical expressions in China’s 2026 Report on the Work of the Government, discusses the conceptual mappings from various source domains to abstract political concepts and analyzes the translation strategies adopted in the official English version. As found in the results, the conversion of metaphor into sense is commonly used to express hidden political ideologies in the process of publicity. Through the semantic restoration of metaphors, this study helps foster a more accurate global understanding of China’s development while exploring how China builds its national image within political discourse.