The Hotspots and Developing Trends of Research on Motivation for Learning Chinese among Overseas Students in China in the Recent Two Decades (2005–2024)

Abstract

“Chinese fever” has been a global phenomenon with the increasing influence of China around the world. Following the scoping review and based on CiteSpace, this study aims to synthesize the hotspots and research trends on motivation for learning Chinese among overseas students in China in the past two decades, from 2005 to 2024. The results show that there is a fluctuation in the relevant research on motivation for learning Chinese; The hotspots in this area include a focus on the features and influencing factors of motivation for learning, the relationship between motivation for learning Chinese and the use of Chinese language learning strategies, the relationship between motivation for learning Chinese and Chinese language learning engagement, and motivation for learning Chinese as a heritage language; There is a multi-dimensional, universal and dynamic developing trend; The most representative researchers are Anqi Ding, Ying Zhou, Mingming Shao, and Chili Li; Institutions who have the most publications include School of Chinese as a Second Language, Peking University, International Cultural Exchange School of Xinjiang Normal University, School of Foreign Languages, Hu¬bei University of Technology, and School of Humanities, Xinjiang University. These findings could offer insightful implications for future research in this construct.