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Subtitle Translation of the Game Black Myth: Wukong from the Perspective of Intercultural Communication

Linguistics / 2025,7(3): 225-233 / 2025-09-16 9 4

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• Authors: Ji Qiao
• Information:

  Chongqing College of Humanities, Science & Technology, Chongqing

• Keywords:
  Intercultural Communication; Black Myth: Wukong; Subtitle Translation; Explanatory Translation; Substitutive Translation; Creative Translation
• Abstract: This study investigates the subtitle translation of the Chinese game Black Myth: Wukong from an intercultural communication perspective. Grounded in Edward T. Hall’s theory of high-and low-context cultures, the research analyzes various in-game text cases. It identifies three core translation strategies employed: explanatory translation, substitutive translation, and creative translation. The findings demonstrate that translators effectively address the tension between cultural uniqueness and audience comprehension through these strategies: using explanatory translation for culture-specific terms, applying substitutive translation for functional equivalence, and adopting creative translation to reconstruct cultural imagery. These approaches not only accurately convey the core connotations of the source culture but also ensure a smooth and emotionally resonant experience for global players, achieving the dual objectives of cultural transmission and gameplay immersion. This research provides practical insights for the localization of games featuring distinctive Chinese cultural content and contributes to the application of intercultural communication theory in the digital entertainment field.
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.35534/lin.0703023
• Cite: Qiao, J. (2025). Subtitle Translation of the Game Black Myth: Wukong from the Perspective of Intercultural Communication. Linguistics, 7(3), 225-233.