Abstract
Conceptual metaphor is one of the fundamental tools of our figurative mind. It is important to realize that metaphoric thinking is not a means of avoiding formal scientific thought so that a child or a layperson would understand what we are talking about. Properly understood and applied, metaphor creates the foundation for proper formal thought. Consequently, teachers should be introduced to figurative thought and to its power for education. This should help them develop a deeper understanding of the discipline and the ability of speaking and listening to their pupils. This paper is a contribution to the diffusion of such an approach to physics and to physics education. After a synthetic introduction to conceptual metaphor theory, examples of application in physics and in research projects in teacher education will be supplied.