A Study on the English Translation of the Culture-Loaded Term “Qi” in Traditional Chinese Medicine in On Cold Damage

With the growing global demand for traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) culture, the crosslinguistic and cross-cultural translation of TCM has become increasingly significant. However, the considerable differences between Chinese and Western languages, cultures, and systems of thought have created substantial challenges for translating TCM, particularly in terms of culture-loaded terms—those expressions carrying unique cultural, philosophical, and medical meanings. This paper investigates the English translation of the culture-loaded term “qi” (气) in On Cold Damage through the lens of cultural translation theory. By analyzing the semantic and cultural connotations of “qi” and applying theoretical insights from cultural translation, the study proposes innovative translation strategies that balance foreignization and domestication. Findings suggest that a culturally grounded translation strategy for “qi” better conveys the conceptual depth of TCM and enhances cross-cultural understanding, thus contributing to the internationalization of Chinese medicine.