The article discusses the figurative semantics of the Russian and Chinese phraseological units with the meaning “emotional state of a person”. The purpose of the study is to identify and compare conceptual metaphors underlying the idioms of one semantic group. The similarity of the Russian and Chinese languages in the use of zoomorphic, nature-morphic, somatic cultural codes is proved. The authors show the difference in selecting particular means of creating figurativeness in the Russian and Chinese idioms due to the national traditions and cultural values of the two ethnic groups.