Abstract
This study aims to identify teachers’ perceptions of the concepts of ‘refugee or refugee people’ through a metaphorical study. The study uses descriptive research employing metaphors to determine teachers’ perceptions of these concepts. Study participants were 320 teachers who worked in different parts of Turkey during the 2023–2024 academic year. The results showed that most teachers feel sorry for refugees, while many hold angry feelings towards refugee people. Positive perceptions were rare. Based on teachers’ developed metaphors towards people who are refugees, these four categories emerged: anger, pity, diversity, and definition.