中美对于颜色的不同看法.doc

REDIn English culture, people usually connect red with blood. Blood is regarded to be the source of life. Life will die when the blood has run off. So they think red also refers to force, death and war. Such as “red ruin” and “red battle”. But in Chinese culture, red refers to revolutions and progressive forces. For example, the primary revolutionary regime named red regime. It also stands for good luck in China, such as:红运,开门红,披红挂彩,so, although there are some similar meanings of red, but in china, red has no derogatory sense.WHITEIn England wedding, bride wear white ceremonial dress, hold white lily, because in their tradition, white is the most purest and elegant color. Like red in Chinese culture, white is the joyous and positive color in England. White men means gentlemen, white soul means pure soul, white market means lawful market, white room means the most cleaning room.But in Chinese culture, besides good sides, white also constants derogatory sense, it is connected with death. In funeral, all of people wear white clothes in order to express their sadness, Most times, white is opposed to red in Chinese culture. Chinese, especially the older dislike it, even afraid of it while it stands for ill omen, and counteraction. In the war, the loser raises a white flag to show capitulation. Sometimes, it also refers to work fruitlessly, unworthlessly both in Chinese and English culture, such as “白费劲”,“白痴”,“白搭”and “white elephant”.YELLOWIn Chinese culture, yellow is a color that has lots of symbolic significances. The ancestors of Chinese were originated on the Loess Plateau. The yellow earth and the Yellow River brought up the Chinese. So yellow is a color that people believe in and also is the representative color in Chinese tradition. But in English religion, yellow means abjection, cowardice and suspicion, because Judas, who sold Jesus, wore a yellow robe.With the destruction of feudalism, in modern Chinese culture, yellow has more and more reverse symbolic meanings. Now, yellow is always connected with sexualities and vulgar interests. The meaning of “黄色书刊”in China is sexy or filthy books, but in England, yellow books just mean the worthless books or exaggerated news. Therefore, yellow is said to be the color whose meanings change most from the past between the tradition and modern social in Chinese culture.GREENISH BLACKGreenish black refers to three colors in English: blue, black, green. In ancient time, Chinese use greenish black instead of the three colors. “青菜” means green vegetables,“青椒”means green pepper,“青天”is blue sky,“青砖”is blue bricks,“青丝”is black hair,“青衫”is black gown. Now, the three colors are used independently, each of them has their own meanings.BLUEBlue is the color of the sky, of the sea. It is a color full of illusion, stands for intelligence, calmness and profundity. In Chinese culture, it has little symbolic significance: calm, profound. Most of times, Chinese like to use their natural colors, for example, the navy wear the uniforms, which have the same color as the sea.In English culture, it has more symbolic significances. First; it symbolizes high privilege and sternness. For example: blue blood stands for nobles, blue laws means strict laws. Second; it symbolizes depression and despondency. For example: in a blue mood, have the blues, expresses a gloomy emotion. Blue Monday means unhappy Monday. Third; it symbolizes salacity and obscenity, just like yellow in China, blue is connected with sex, such as blue movie, blue books. They have the same meanings of “黄色书刊”“黄色电影”in China. Forth, it contains the meaning of quickness. For example, blue streak means things that vanish in a flash, out of blue means produce an unexpected winner.BLACKIn Chinese culture, the color of black has two sides: one stands for solemnity, prestige; the other stands for fear, reactionary forces and illegality. Because in the night, people will feel depressed and fearful, and want to find something for help.In English culture, black is a taboo color, it refers to death and ill omen, and usually be used in funeral rites, everyone who join in funeral , wear black clothes to express their sadness and heavy mood. GREENIn English culture, sometimes green describes something that is not yet get ripe or finished or inexperienced person. Someone who has the ability to grow plants well is said to have “a green thumb”, but “greenhorn” or “as green as grass” is a person who has no experience or who is new to a situation. Green is also the color used to describe the powerful emotion: jealousy. The “green-eyed monster” is not a frightening creature from outer space. It is the name given by William Shakespeare in his play “Othello” to jealousy. Green-eyed is the same meaning as “红眼病”in Chinese cultureIn Chinese culture, green also has bad meaning. In a