Abstract: The borderline cases of translation have triggered the in-depth discussion of the name and nature of translation, which suggests the need for a rethinking of transcreation. In light of the ontological framework conceived by the descriptive translation studies, this study not only charaterizes the nature of transcreation, but also elaborates its working definition and mechanism. We argue that a transcreation is a translation with distinctive features, which could be defined as the expressive and intentional discourse developed in the translational passage between language-cultures, in which editing, restructuring and creative rewriting might be involved so as to make the discourses suited to the audience of the target language. It could be mono-modal or multimodal. It is concluded that transcreation is the result of the interpretation and elliptical refraction of the original text, manifested in the borderline metatext in literary translation and industry language services.