This study investigated compliment exchanges in Chinese TV talk shows and award ceremonies in order to see whether the spoken data can be accounted for by three metaphors: gift exchange, giving a trophy, and bribery. In addition to the three metaphors, the spoken data also produced examples of sarcasm, which on the surface appears to be a type of compliment exchange. The results show that the spoken data can be categorized into four types: three metaphors of compliment exchange and sarcasm. The first metaphor, gift exchange, is the most common type in the collected spoken data, perhaps due to the fact that Chinese tend to have certain kinds of interactions or small talk with their interlocutors in compliment exchanges to establish human relationships. The second metaphor, giving a trophy, is usually followed by a short acknowledgment. Bribery, on the other hand, often happens when the complimentee has a higher status than the complimenter or when the complimenter intends to benefit from the complimentee. Finally, with sarcasm a compliment seems to be offered, but the complimenter actually intends to express an ironic meaning.