The emotional concept of pity has many figurative expressions in Russian and Chinese paroemiology. This article emphasizes the relevance of studying the emotional concept of pity and considers the representation of its figurative understanding through Russian and Chinese paroemias. To achieve the research objective, the emotional concept of pity, the classification of types of figurative metaphorical projections, linguocultural specifics of means of its expression in various emotional situations by the Russian and Chinese peoples have been analysed. The main results of the study show the features of the image in the paroemiological depiction of pity in the compared linguocultures, and axiological norms of the two peoples. The practical value of the study lies in the possibility of using the research results for further teaching intercultural communication and understanding the similarities and differences in the emotive cognitive models of the Russian and Chinese peoples.