Abstract: Metaphor is not merely a matter of language, but a mode of thought and an effective cognitive tool for humans to know abstract things in terms of concrete ones. Container metaphor is an important type of metaphor. In English, there exist a large number of container metaphors. With an attempt to further the knowledge, understanding and use of container metaphors in English, this paper probes into the motivation of container metaphor, analyzes the types and formative characteristics of container metaphor, explores the metaphorical thinking of English and the great significance of container metaphors.

Key words：container metaphor, metaphorical thinking, cognitive analysis 

摘要:隐喻不仅是语言层面的，还是一种思维方式和人们用具体事物理解抽象事物有效的认知工具。容器隐喻是隐喻的一种重要类型。英语中存在着大量的容器隐喻。本文考察了容器隐喻的理据，分析了英语中容器隐喻的类型和构成特点，旨在加深对容器隐喻知识的理解和运用，同时探索隐喻思维和容器隐喻的重大意义。

关键词：容器隐喻，隐喻思维, 认知分析