The Translation of Idiomatic Expressions in the Chinese Subtitle of Better Call Saul

In today's global communication landscape, understanding how culture-specific elements such as idioms are translated for international audiences is essential. This study examines the translation of idiomatic expressions in the Chinese subtitles of the American series Better Call Saul, focusing on how idioms rooted in U.S. legal, social, and popular culture are rendered for Chinese viewers. Drawing on Fernando's (1996) view of idioms as fixed, non-compositional, and culturally bound, the study identifies key examples and evaluates the translation strategies used. Using Martínez-Sierra's (2004) integrative audiovisual translation model, it analyzes how cultural and contextual meanings are preserved, adapted, or replaced. The findings show that translators employ strategies such as literal translation, cultural substitution, and omission depending on linguistic, cultural, and audiovisual constraints.