Bridging the Cultural Gap: Current Status, Standardization Approaches, and Prospects of TCM Core Term Translation

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is an integral part of Chinese traditional culture, and the accurate translation of its core terms is the key to its international dissemination. However, the current translation of TCM core terms is plagued by problems such as conceptual network disruption, cultural connotation loss, and inconsistent functional application, and existing studies lack an integrated theoretical framework to guide systematic translation and standardization. Taking the core terms from Huang Di Nei Jing (《黄帝内经》 The Yellow Emperor’s Inner Classic ) and Shang Han Lun (《伤寒论》 Treatise on Cold Damage ) as the research objects, this study systematically analyzes the translation dilemmas of TCM core terms by integrating Skopos Theory and Thick Translation Theory. It is found that the root cause of TCM term translation challenges lies not in lexical gaps, but in the partial or complete failure of cultural transmission, cognitive mapping, and functional adaptation in the cross-cultural communication process. To this end, the study constructs a Cultural-Cognitive-Functional (CCF) Triad Model as the core theoretical framework, which clarifies the hierarchical relationship and internal logic of the three dimensions of TCM term translation: taking cognitive mapping as the foundation, cultural transmission as the core, and functional adaptation as the goal. Based on the CCF Model, the study further proposes a dynamic standardization pathway for TCM core terms with a three-layer architecture (Conceptual Anchor Layer, Cognitive-Cultural Annotation Layer, Functional Adaptation Layer) and a tripartite cross-disciplinary collaboration mechanism. This pathway transcends the traditional static annotation-based translation model and realizes the organic unity of TCM terms’ conceptual stability and scenario-based functional flexibility. The study verifies the explanatory power and practical guiding value of the CCF Model through empirical case analysis, and provides a new theoretical framework and practical solution for the standardization and international dissemination of TCM core terms, which are of great significance for promoting the integration of TCM into the global health governance system.