Abstract:
This research aims to: 1) categorize the meanings of idioms related to people in Thai and Chinese idioms, 2) study and compare the use of metaphors related to people in Thai and Chinese idioms, and 3) study and compare the conceptual metaphors related to people in Thai and Chinese idioms. The study examines 39 idioms from both Thai and Chinese that have comparable meanings, with all idioms specifically related to people. The findings reveal that the categorization of meanings in idioms related to people in both Thai and Chinese can be divided into 12 categories. The use of metaphorical language concerning people in Thai and Chinese idioms can be divided into two major types: metaphors involving living entities and metaphors involving non-living entities. The study of conceptual metaphors concerning people in Thai and Chinese idioms concludes that people are perceived both as living and non-living entities. These conceptual metaphors reflect the thoughts, cultures, and values prevalent in Thai and Chinese societies.