From Medical Healing to Emotional Discourse: Semantic Shift of “Chữa Lành” in Contemporary Vietnamese

Abstract

This paper investigates the semantic evolution of the Vietnamese term “chữa lành” (healing) within contemporary discourse. Originally confined to medical contexts denoting physical treatment and recuperation, the term has increasingly permeated broader spheres pertaining to mental well-being, self-care, and lifestyle practices, particularly within digital media environments. Grounded in theoretical frameworks of semantic change, cognitive linguistics, and socio-cultural discourse analysis, this study explores how "chữa lành" has transcended its clinical origins to become a cultural keyword in modern Vietnamese communication.
Employing a qualitative approach, the analysis integrates semantic examination with cognitive linguistics, specifically drawing on Conceptual Metaphor Theory and the model of radial categories. The findings reveal that the semantic broadening of “chữa lành” embodies a conceptual reconfiguration, wherein emotional and psychological experiences are structured and understood through metaphors derived from physical healing processes. Concurrently, the pervasive influence of therapeutic discourse in digital culture has been instrumental in normalizing “chữa lành” as a lifestyle paradigm centered on self-care, emotional management, and aesthetically-driven personal experiences.
The study posits that the semantic expansion of “chữa lành” serves as a compelling illustration of the dynamic interplay between language, cognition, and socio-cultural transformation in contemporary Vietnam. These insights contribute to broader scholarly conversations regarding lexical innovation, the discursive construction of emotion, and the globalization of therapeutic culture