学期论文Chinese and English Cultural Differences Reflected inthe Color Terms从颜色词看中西方文化的差异Chinese and English Cultural Differences Reflected inthe Color TermsAbstract:During the intercultural communication, there are many differences in the use of color words as well as in the understanding of the same color due to the different cultural and historical background. A comparison between them can help us to have a better understanding of these words and improve our intercultural communication ability.Key words : color words ; cultural connotations ; cultural differencesCulture is a complex social phenomenon, permeated all aspects of social life. It is the complex achievement of social life and spiritual life. Culture is a term that covers a wide range of content. From the anthropological point of view, culture can be divided into two categories, in a narrow sense and in broad sense. The culture in a narrow sense, including literature, history, philosophy, politics, social science and natural science achievements, reflects the human spiritual civilization and corporeal civilization .The so-called generalized culture, confirms human life in a series of different characteristics, such as the social customs, social habits, customs and other aspects of life. Language is one of the most important part plays a great role of culture. On one hand, language is the carrier of culture -- no language, no culture. On the other hand, language is influenced by culture at the same time; it likes a mirror, reflecting the representation of culture. Language it not only contains the nation's historical and cultural background, but also contains the nation's views on life and their way of life and their mode of thinking.Language is the reflection and summarizes of social life. We all live in a colorful world; however, color is also an indispensable embellishment of human life. Because of the presence of color, we can obtain the colorful life.From the scientific definition, color is fired by an object; it is the reflection or light waves caused by a certain visual phenomena, the basic characteristics of human vision. From the definition of color, color is a kind of objective existence; it is the same essential to every nation. But the cognition of color to each nation, especially the definition, reality origin, cultural images and associative meaning each nation gives, are not the same.Experts point out that there are 11 common color categories in human language: white, black, red, green, and yellow, blue, pink. Even though, human beings has various kinds of language, the basic color words that indicated the color does not exceed the above 11 categories. Color words are a kind of sense words; it not only describes the color, but also plays a major role in the expression of ideological content and strengthens the language emotions. The color words may have different meanings for different languages in different cultures. In daily life, people often use color to express their feelings and enrich their speeches.However, due to the cultural differences, the use of color words of each nation always exist many difference in language, while the same color also have different symbolic meanings. I will introduce Chinese and English cultural differences reflected in the color terms from these main causes.1. Differences of CulturalIn Chinese culture, yellow is the supreme symbol, while in western culture, the noble color is blue (or purple). This cultural phenomenon is not accidental. From the geographical sense, the colors of the different cultural connotations and different natural environment are closely related; yellow and blue represent two different cultural characteristics and cultural psychology, color also has the behavior sense of cultural implication. In Chinese culture, the symbols of color are based on the traditional feudal rule, the feudal superstition and primitive, the backward science and outdate education. So the colors have strong political symbolism and mystical tendencies. The symbols of colors in western culture is more benefit from the western nations, open and scientificeducation, so the symbolic significance is with less mysterious meaning, it is more rational that causes its semantics more easier to understand.2. Difference of Value OrientationIn ancient times, Chinese people like yellow, they believed yellow is the symbol color of dignity, and it can only be used in royal family. What’s more, it is also the same color as gold. In China, people are keen on the special significance of yellow, then derived "zodiac" and other lucky words. Yellow also represents the power and majesty, because in the ancient “Wu Xing”, “Wu Se”, the central color is yellow. But after a long time of development, yellow has not so strong meaning in dignity, but still retain some auspicious meaning, such as it now related with "sex" that caused by the fusion of Chinese and western cultural exchange. It is said that the New York newspaper <The World> is printed in yellow ink. This newspaper is full of tasteless comic and some low-level news, so people will say this kind of unhealthy publication of "黄色书刊"(nasty publication), and <New York> is aimed to exaggerate, render the report of pornographic, vendettas and crime news, people also named that kind of news for "黄色新闻"(vulgar news). Such as yellow press黄色报刊，yellow journalism黄色办报作风，yellow back廉价轰动一时的小说. In addition, yellow also represents timid and cowardly in Chinese. For example:（1）yellow dog卑鄙的人，（2）yellow streak胆怯，（3）yellow-livered胆小的。