This study aims to explore the interpretive differences of two high-frequency social media symbols

"Thumb-up" and "heart shape"

in cross-cultural contexts

and to analyze the pragmatic behaviors and identity construction of Chinese English learners in corresponding online interactions. The study adopted an interpretive sequential mixed approach to collect data through questionnaires (three groups

with ≥30 people in each group) and semi-structured interviews. The results show that "Thumb-up" has generalized from "praise" to "social confirmation" in the context of Chinese users

while the emotional intensity and intimacy of "heart shape" have different weights in different cultures. Chinese English learners are influenced by the pragmatic transfer of their mother tongue

simultaneously demonstrating a strategic evolution from avoidance and imitation to creative calibration

and completing the identity transformation from marginal participants to legitimate marginal members through active symbolic practice. The research verified the applicability of pragmatic transfer and language socialization theories in digital contexts and provided empirical evidence for second language digital pragmatic teaching.