Culture-Difference-of-Color-Words-in-Chinese-and-Western-Countries

1、ContentsAbstract:1Key words:1一、Color and color words3（一）Color Words and their Historical Backgrounds3二、The difference expresses of different Color Words between English and Chinese Culture4(一)The similarities and differences expresses of Color Word “red” in English and Chinese Culture41、The same exp

2、ress of Color Word “red” in English and Chinese Culture42、The different express of Color Word “red” in English and Chinese Culture5(二)The similarities and differences expresses of Color Word “white” in English and Chinese Culture61、The same express of Color Word “white” in English and Chinese Cultur

3、e62、The different express of Color Word “white” in English and Chinese Culture6(三) The similarities and differences expresses of other Color Words71、Color Word “Green”72、Color Word“Blue”73、Color Word“Black”8Conclusion:9Reference:10Acknowledgements118Culture Difference of Color Words in Chinese and W

4、estern Countries班级:- 学生:-指导老师:-Abstract: Language is the vehicle of culture, the difference of its connotation shows the difference culture characteristics. As Chinese and English language affected by their own culture background, the color words were given different culture connotation. Along with

5、the development of human culture, the vocabulary that express Color are accordingly being enriched at the same time. The meaning of color also derived many other new significance than its original express of color, thereby, it made the human language become more lively and visual、rich and colorful.

6、Color Words is the denotation of color language that used to talk or deliver information. As the human have the same physiology mechanism、vision nervous system and consolidated thought, for this reason, there is a lot of common points between color words and language culture. Take the culture、living

7、 environment and different cultural background into consideration, people always describe the color of objects in their own ways and scales, with the result that the association of different colors and utilize in language are existed similarities and differences. This thesis will do a number of cont

8、rasts and discusses for some common color vocabularys symbolized meaning being in West and Chinese language.Key words: color words；cultural difference；color words difference between West and ChineseIntroduction:There are a lot of color words in West and Chinese, then produced a specific word group,

9、its a son system of their own vocabulary system. Both West and Chinese color words can be divide into two categories: basic color words、material object color words. Basic color words means the word specialized used to express the object, such as black、white、red、yellow、green、blue、purple in English an

10、d 黑、白、红、黄、绿、蓝、紫 in Chinese; While material object color words were names of some material object at the beginning, but these material objects have certain prominent color, cause derived new meanings, their never only express those material objects, but also finger the special that they have. Like go

11、ld、silver、violet、orange、coffee and so on in English and 金黄、银白、桃红、橙色、米色 etc. in Chinese. Along with the development of human civilization, the vocabulary that remark color also corresponding get enrich, and their meaning derived many new significance from their pure significance that show one certain

12、 color, what is called“connotation significance”.一、Color and color words Our natural world is all the colors of the rainbow. Color has produced an given impression in persons mind, and then lead to some specific associated, at last arouse peculiar reaction, this is called colors society connotation.

13、 The conception of color can be found almost in any language, but the different culture endowed color for different culture connotation, the difference of West and Chinese culture will always given one certain color in two or more different symbolized significances. There are a lot of color words re

14、flect different culture mentality and emotion hue in Chinese language and English language. Chinese language has rich and colorful color words since ancient times. There are many color word can reflect West culture as well. Since there exist many difference in nation nature environment、society syste

15、m、local customs and practices、cultural background between West and Chinese, its connotation significance either have similarity or differentia.（一）Color Words and their Historical BackgroundsFrom scientific definition, color is the vision phenomenon that caused by the objects emission、reflection or t

16、hrough regular light wave , it is a basic characteristic of eye vision. This definition of color is easy to be accepting by western because their feudalism was shorter and the modern times education and the sciences popularize as well as the fast development. At the very start of culture, western pa

17、id a special attention to science rational education and discover of science method. Thus, it is often rather direct of colors symbolize significance in western culture, they generally use impersonality object s definite color to symbolize some abstract culture meaning, so it is easier to get the la

18、nguage significance and logic evidence. After many years development, Chinese color connotation also have the same significance that like western, so, we could not only know the surface meaning of color, but also know the deeper connotation.(二) The basic Color Words in our daily life Color words are

19、 the vocabulary that full of expressive force. No matter what we see in our daily life, they are all have the special color. So while we studying English, if we need to describe an article, we often explain its color, for instance, when describe the rising sun, we always said like this: A red sun is

20、 slowly rising from the East. At this time we could imagine of the beautiful and red sun will how arouse your feeling. Moreover, when we describe the autumn, we would rather use the sentence“everywhere is golden yellow”. After we learned how to use the color words, we could say and write them simon-

21、pure and lively.Humans perception for color is basic similar to spectrum. It is the reflection of humans impersonality physiology. Basic color divide into following eleven kinds: white(白)、black（黑）、red（红）、yellow（黄）、green（绿）、blue（蓝）、brown（棕）、purple（紫）、pink（粉红）、orange（橙）、grey（灰）. These basic color word

22、s almost include multiply, either have noun or adjective, as well as verb. Though the number isnt large, but it has more variety、full of vitality、highly use rates and strong expressive force.二、The difference expresses of different Color Words between English and Chinese Culture(一)The similarities an

23、d differences expresses of Color Word “red” in English and Chinese Culture1、The same express of Color Word “red” in English and Chinese CultureNo matter in English or in Chinese, red is relates to jubilant and propitious. In Chinese peoples mind, red is the emblem of jubilant, propitious and prosper

24、ous. For instance, when Chinese people celebrate Spring Festival, they will stick red antithetical couplet and red “福” word, hang red lantern in order to express jubilant; The red “喜” word、red candle、red gauze in the wedding will not only bring joyous atmosphere, but also indicate the life will happ

25、ier and happier after they get married; Chinese people like called the man who get credit as“红人”, and if everything is successfully, they called “走红”; while get bonus called“红包”.In western country, red can be also used for jubilant things. Such as “a red-letter day” means a happy day, “the red carpe

26、t” indicates a grand admit. Beyond that, the similarities exist in Chinese and Western also embodies on peoples emotion of their feeling and the fluctuate of mood, red always have the meaning of exciting、happy、agitate、shame and shy. Such as “满面红光”“两颊潮红” in Chinese language shows the pleasant mood. W

27、hile “面红耳赤”、“满面赤红”express the feeling of shame. The same as in English ,“turn red ”express the face was very red, “see red” shows somebody very angry and so on.2、The different express of Color Word “red” in English and Chinese CultureThe translator Mr. Yangxianyi and his wife Dainaidie, when they tr

28、anslating 红楼梦, in order to reserve the culture connotation of “红” in Chinese, then translated the title as “A Dream of Red Mansions” in word-for-word translation. But leaded many western reader to bad associated for “red”. At last, Mr. Huokesi An English-Chinese translator, he translated the title a

29、s “The Story of the Stone”石头记. Thus it can be seen, Chinese people and western people have the different point of “red”. “Red” is the basic advocate color of Chinese culture, it can reflect the aspire both in Chinese peoples spirit and substance, red is the originate from sun in Chinese culture, the

30、 burning sun just like the fire, and its color is red, the sun bring warm and vitality for everything, so the meaning of joyous and auspicious has produced since that. For this reason, the associate meaning of red are almost as commend sence in Chinese culture. While in western culture, red always h

31、ave a strong derogatory sence, with the meaning of “dangerous”、 “radical”、 “blooding” and “violence”, it maybe has the relate to Europeans ancestors were nomadism tribe, red can make them connect in the mind of massacre, so it is understandable to know there many words contain red have the negative

32、meaning, such as red battle、red hot political campaign、red alert etc.Beyond that, red also have a heavy politics color in China, it symbolized the revolution and improvement. For instance, in socialism China, form the Peoples Republic of Chinas national flag to Chinese Communists flag both are red,

33、it symbolized the revolution and the cause off proletariat have a indomitable vitality. It also like the CPCs initial political power called “红色政权”, the earliest military equipment called “红军”, the person who desire improve on polity、study intensively on business called “又红又专”.However, in western cu

34、lture, red always have an closely relationship with economy, such as “get out of the red” “come out of the red”、“in the red”and so on.In Chinese language, red also have symbolized as beautiful、 handsome. If the girls made up, it called“红妆” the girls in heavy adorn, it called“红袖”or if the have a beau

35、tiful face ,then called“红颜”. But in western, red have many bad meanings, red always symbolized as dissolute, obscenity. For example, red waste of his youth, red light district etc.Nay, red still have the meaning of “avoid evil spirits” and “good luck” in Chinese culture. Like in oneslfes animal year

36、 should tie red belt and wear red cloth. But, red also has a few derogatory sence in Chinese culture. It shows warn, dangerous etc. such as the red light exist in cross intersection, it is a dangerous sign.(二) The similarities and differences expresses of Color Word “white” in English and Chinese Cu

37、lture1、The same express of Color Word “white” in English and Chinese Culture“White” is the most popular word in western country, the preference of “white” embodied in the each aspect in their language. For western country, white has the meaning of pure, lovely, beautifully. Like purity, innocence. W

38、hite symbolized pure in western culture custom. So the bride like wearing white bridal veil mostly on the western wedding, express the pure, sincere, eternal and dignity for their love. White as the color stand for pure and honorable is the invariably fashion cycle, many products that are the top-ra

39、nking in the world packed in white, delegates the elegance, top level, are the westerns love, and yearn for them. Compared with western country, Chinese also have the advocate for white, as white has the same color with cloud, snow and jade, people always use white symbolize as spotless, brightness,

40、 simple but elegant and luminosity since the ancients.2、The different express of Color Word “white” in English and Chinese CultureHowever, on the other hand, white also is the taboo in Chinese culture, white is opposite to red, it is a taboo word, shows the discard and detest on substance and spirit

41、ual of Chinese people. White imply disaster, it was related to the extinct of Shang and thrive of Zhou from the ancient. Shang is virtue for metals, white for their nation color, the Zhou dynasty which like white died while Shang dynasty which like red more followed suit, so white symbolizes death,

42、bad omen. At the same time white had fierce bereave associations in Chinese culture. Since ancient times , family dependents should do“白事”, and set white place, a funeral will play white when Pan, son had to wear white“孝服”，in a word ,white in Chinese culture more for derogatory sence, Such as Chines

43、e using 白眼 ,小白脸 means to others dislike, traditional drama used 小白脸 symbol vicious, sinister and use white terror, the white regime used to refer to the forces of reaction, etc.Be difference with Chinese culture, white is a nobility and lucky color in western culture, so the associative significance

44、 of white for more commendatory. The bride would wear white gown, wear white wedding veil at the wedding, so have a said of white wedding in western culture. They put white related to milk 、snow、milk and lilies color together, and they thought it is elegant, pure and innocent. In western culture, sn

45、ow white is the incarnation of pure, beauty and kind-hearted. Angel is always have a long pairs of white sings in Bible, in the classic ballet “swan lake”, the white swan represents of kindness, purity and glorious. White can be also expressed as “integrity and honesty”, such as white spirit, white

46、man, white hand, white lie in western country. in addition, the British government department is white hall, the president of the united states , his house called white house, on generation refers top the British government and American governments, shows the white is associated with power.(三) The s

47、imilarities and differences expresses of other Color Words1、Color Word “Green”Green commonly sued to indicate as “jealousy” “envy” in western country, it maybe related with the paper is green in the United States, greenback translated as US dollars; greenpower translated as “money power”, it is not

48、hard to understand, green also used to say “have no experience” meanwhile, Such as green hand/horn shows their novice、amateur、no experience. In addition, greenroom refers to the lounge room; greenhouse means boathouse, glasshouse. The jargons of green refers to “cuckold son” in Chinese culture, name

49、ly someones wife with others, but if translated into “to wear a green hat”, the Anglo-American will understand it by the face meaning, if need to express “戴绿帽子” in Chinese culture, should be translated as “to be a cuckold”.2、Color Word“Blue”Blue is a kind of sadness depression emotions expression in

50、 western culture, in a blue mood, blue Monday is all express “depressed” “sorrow” meaning of people. “Be blue about the prospect” refers to the pessimism for prospect by people. Blues is blue music, blue also to be used as have the represent social status is high, powerful or born noble or is a prin

51、ce, such as “he is a real blue blood” , thats to say he is a true nobility. However, blue have no symbolic significance in Chinese culture.3、Color Word“Black”In both Chinese and western culture, there are many words that shows black is always associated with bad and the evil things. Such as black li

52、st, black market, black hearted etc. in addition, a black day refers to the worst day. However, black also represent the solemn and dignified. On formal occasions, people usually wearing black suits. This point is common in Chinese and western culture. The people who draw “black face” tend to have a

53、 straight-arrow manner, loyal and honest character. Its typical representative is Zhangfei, Likui. There also have the spread story of Baogong that defying power, fair strict in folk.Conclusion: The number of color words is limited in Chinese-English language, but it reaction of the two different na

54、tionalitys cultural psychology and aesthetic taste. Color words have not only directly surface meaning in dictionary but have more cultural pragmatic emotion meaning. Therefore, when we learning English, we should understand the different color words in proper of their languages cultural background,

55、 customs and historical geography background of Chinese and English language. It will be better of us to conduct the stride communication and the vital significance of English-Chinese translation. Anyhow, society culture is lasting, fundamental to color words. This requires us understand the development of production and use the language national cultural tradition. Grasp and study the subtle significance, also, the culture information that the color words bearin