Abstract

The world is colored by all kinds of color. People in different countries have a common understanding of the basic attributes of color.  However, as the times change, color word are no longer just to describe the external color, but there is a deeper meaning. There is a part of the color words in Chinese symbolize different meanings in English. If we cannot correctly understand the meaning of color words in English, we will not be able to communicate the information accurately. It can easily lead misunderstanding, even the translation error. Aimed at a reveal of the connotations and implications of basic color words, this paper compares and analyzes the usage of them in English and Chinese. By this way, this paper is intended to promote better cross-cultural communication. It is divided into 5 parts: introduction, definition, reasons and specific comparison, conclusion. .

Key words : basic color terms; comparative study; cultural background

Contents

Abstract

中文摘要

1. Introduction 1

2. Different Meanings of Color Words in Chinese and English.1

2.1 Meanings of Color Words in Chinese .1

2.2 Meanings of Color Words in English2

3.Comparison Between Chinese and English Color Words from Four Aspects3

3.1 The Usage of Colors in Religion Between Chinese and English3

3.2 The Usage of Colors in Symbolism in Chinese and English.4

3.3 The Usage of Idioms about Colors in Chinese and English6

3.4 The Usage of Colors in Myths and Legends Between Chinese and English8

4. Three Reasons for Similarities and Differences .9

4.1 From the Perspective of Historical and Cultural 9

4.2 From the Perspective of Natural Geographical Environment 10

4.3 From the Perspective of Religious Belief12

5. Conclusion13

6. References 15