English Vocabulary Teaching in Higher Education: Insights from Geoffery Leech’s Seven Types of Meaning

In the context of the new English curriculum standards, vocabulary plays an indispensable role in enhancing students’ overall English language proficiency in higher education. Vocabulary instruction should not be limited to memorizing words; rather, it should be integrated into rich themes and contexts, deepening learning through comprehensive language practice. This paper illustrates the seven types of meaning proposed by linguist Leech: conceptual meaning, connotative meaning, social meaning, affective meaning, reflective meaning, collocative meaning, and thematic meaning. Through this exploration of meaning types, the paper further discusses their implications for vocabulary teaching in higher education.