A review of Chinese sentiment analysis: subjects, methods, and trends

Sentiment analysis has emerged as a prominent research domain within the realm of natural language processing, garnering increasing attention and a growing body of literature. While numerous literature reviews have examined sentiment analysis techniques, methods, topics and applications, there remains a gap in the literature concerning thematic trends and research methodologies in sentiment analysis, particularly in the context of Chinese text. This study addresses this gap by presenting a comprehensive survey dedicated to the progression of research subjects, methods and trends in sentiment analysis of Chinese text. Employing a framework that combines keyword co-occurrence analysis with a sophisticated community detection algorithm, this survey offers a novel perspective on the landscape of Chinese sentiment analysis research. By tracing the interplay between research methodologies and emerging topics over the past two decades, our study not only facilitates a comparative analysis of their correlations but also illuminates evolving patterns, identifying significant hotspots and trends over time for Chinese language text analysis. This invaluable insight provides a roadmap for researchers seeking to navigate the intricate terrain of sentiment analysis within the context of Chinese language. Moreover, this paper extends beyond the academic realm, offering practical insights into sentiment analysis methodologies and themes while pinpointing avenues for future exploration, technical limitations, and directions for sentiment analysis of Chinese text.