Chinese Emotion Word Database

The Chinese Emotion Word Database (CEWD) features a collection of 598 emotion words identified through an extensive literature review on emotion words and facial expressions. From this set, 99 emotion words was selected based on high emotional typicality and distinctiveness from other words.

For each of the 99 emotion words, the database provides:

• Participants’ ratings of valence and arousal.
• The proportion of participants who reported that they typically express the emotion through seven channels: voice, facial expression, body movement, verbal language, touch, art, and solely internal experience.
• The references from which these emotion words were identified.

To access the CEWD, please complete and print the Database Usage Agreement. After signing it by hand, send a scanned PDF copy of the agreement to the email address: x.fang@zju.edu.cn. 

Citation

Pan, Z., Tan, H., Liu, S., & Fang, X. (2026). Beyond the basic six, static, and WEIRD: Exploring the range of emotions conveyed by facial expressions. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 122, 104836. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2025.104836