Abstract: Food plays an important role in thinking the relationship between self and others. Tibetan food,especially yak meat, mutton, highland barley and Tibet butter tea, are not only affording the necessary nutrition for Tibetan people’s bodies, but also the metaphors of self. The deep meaning of Tibetan special food and the mechanism of ethnic identity performance varies under different contexts: It can convey the information of solidarity and cohesion, and be used to express the separation and distinction. The unity of the opposites of one certain food has became the key things of self-metaphor.

Key words: Tibetan food, ethnic identity, self-metaphor