1 Introduction

The paper elaborates on the importance and complexity of teaching English translation of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in the context of globalization. It highlights the critical significance of accurate translation of TCM metaphorical terms for the international dissemination of TCM and the construction of an international discourse system. Simultaneously, it emphasizes the close connection between TCM theory and metaphorical thinking, as well as the challenges faced in English translation practice. This leads to the introduction of the study's objective: to construct a three-dimensional English translation teaching model aimed at addressing related issues.

2 Existing Challenges in Teaching English Translation of TCM Metaphorical Terms

This chapter analyzes the existing challenges in teaching English translation of TCM metaphorical terms through multi-dimensional empirical research. The study finds that cultural default leads to cognitive gaps; for example, directly translating "肝火" as "liver fire" fails to convey its metaphorical essence. The study suggests adopting compound strategies such as "transliteration + conceptual annotation" or "literal translation + annotation." Inconsistency exists in the English translation of terms; for instance, "气" has multiple translations, and it is recommended to uniformly adopt "qi" as the core translation by referring to WHO standards. Literal translation results in semantic loss; for example, directly translating "提壶揭盖" cannot convey its metaphorical connotation, and the method of literal translation + annotation should be employed. Excessive free translation loses TCM characteristics; for instance, "白虎历节" is over-interpreted in free translation, suggesting the use of "transliteration + conceptual labeling." Translations can be verbose and cumbersome; for example, translating "风秘" as "constipation due to wind pathogen" is excessively wordy, recommending the use of "transliteration + conceptual labeling." The evaluation system is one-sided; traditional assessment criteria have limitations, which are detrimental to students' correct understanding and translation of TCM metaphorical terms, as well as to the accurate dissemination of TCM culture.

3 Characteristics of TCM Metaphorical Terms

The chapter delves into the multi-dimensional characteristics of TCM metaphorical terms, emphasizing their importance in the internationalization of TCM education. The formation of TCM metaphorical terms is based on the cognitive paradigm of "analogical reasoning via imagery," exhibiting empirical intuitiveness and cognitive prototypicality, such as pulse condition terms "浮、沉、迟、数" and organ function metaphors like "肝为将军之官" (the liver as the general organ). Their imagistic symbolic representations, such as "虫积" and "雀目," transform abstract concepts into intuitive images, aligning with human cognitive patterns. As living carriers of cultural heritage, TCM metaphorical terms integrate traditional Chinese philosophy, cognitive thinking, and medical ethics, such as "阴阳五行" and "天人相应," reflecting the medical transformation of philosophical thought. Furthermore, the system of TCM metaphorical terms possesses systematicity and interrelatedness, constructing a multi-layered cognitive network through the meta-metaphorical framework of "yin-yang—five phases—zang-fu manifestation," enabling cross-domain mapping. Their semantic categories exhibit elastic tension; concepts like "标本," "虚实," and "气" have multi-layered connotations and open extensions, providing flexible interpretive space for clinical practice. These characteristics are key to the cross-cultural dissemination of TCM theory and hold significant importance for teaching the English translation of TCM metaphorical terms.

4 Principles for English Translation of TCM Metaphorical Terms

This section provides an in-depth discussion on the principles for English translation of TCM metaphorical terms, pointing out that students' vague understanding of these principles is a key factor in suboptimal teaching outcomes. Based on the author's teaching experience, the current teaching situation, and academic research findings, the author summarizes fundamental principles for English translation of TCM metaphorical terms suitable for medical university students. These include maintaining cultural specificity, balancing standardization and readability, adhering to functional equivalence, emphasizing systematicity and coherence, and ensuring communicative effectiveness. Regarding maintaining cultural specificity, the uniqueness of TCM is emphasized, guiding students to build cultural confidence and follow the principle of "foreignization as primary, domestication as supplementary," either preserving metaphorical imagery or adopting transliteration plus annotation. In balancing standardization and readability, authoritative standards are referenced to avoid excessive foreignization. The principle of functional equivalence is reflected in dynamic equivalence and contextual adaptability, prioritizing target-language readers' comprehension and handling translations flexibly. Systematicity and coherence require maintaining logical consistency in metaphorical relationships among terms. Communicative effectiveness is achieved by constructing cognitive bridges between TCM and Western medicine through various means.

5 Three-Dimensional Collaborative Conversion Model for English Translation of TCM Metaphorical Terms

This chapter constructs a three-dimensional collaborative conversion model for English translation of TCM metaphorical terms. Based on the cognitive characteristics of "form—logic—imagery," it integrates multiple theories to achieve interactive balance across three dimensions: linguistic form, cognitive concept, and cultural context. The model includes conversion strategies at the linguistic form layer, conversion methods at the cognitive concept layer, and adaptation strategies at the cultural context layer. It sets weight priorities for different text types and employs a three-stage collaborative operational process—term deconstruction, strategy matching, and quality verification—to overcome translation challenges, providing methodological support for the international dissemination of TCM terminology.

6 Pedagogical Implications

This chapter focuses on optimizing the teaching of English translation for TCM metaphorical terms, proposing the construction of a teaching plan from four dimensions: teaching objectives, implementation pathways, assessment systems, and resource support. Regarding teaching objectives, it emphasizes building a synergistic goal system integrating "language—cognition—culture" to enhance students' abilities in parsing and converting TCM metaphorical terms, cross-domain mapping, and cross-cultural adaptation. For implementation pathways, an integrated teaching path of "scenario-based—stratified—collaborative" is designed, utilizing practical training in different scenarios and a stratified case database, along with collaborative translation projects involving Chinese and foreign students, to strengthen students' practical operational efficacy. In terms of the assessment system, a diversified quantitative evaluation system of "three-dimensional indicator anchoring + multi-stakeholder participation + full-process coverage" is constructed to ensure precise alignment between teaching objectives and model application, forming a quality feedback loop. Regarding resource support, a comprehensive support system is built from three aspects: textbook development, platform construction, and teacher training, providing a solid foundation for teaching optimization.

7 Conclusion

The conclusion summarizes the application of the three-dimensional conversion model in teaching English translation of TCM metaphorical terms. It emphasizes that the model breaks through the limitations of traditional teaching by integrating the cultivation of language, cognitive, and cultural competencies. Through multi-dimensional collaborative teaching pathways and immersive scenario training, it standardizes the English translation process and guides students to recognize that teaching is not merely language skill training but also a process of cultural dialogue and cognitive reshaping. The aim is to cultivate versatile talents who meet the needs of TCM's international dissemination. However, the model's weight allocation mechanism requires further empirical research for optimization.