colors and chinese culture

Colors and Chinese culture: 

Colors and Chinese culture

Words about colors in Chinese ---culturally connotative（文化内涵）: 

Words about colors in Chinese ---culturally connotative （文化内涵） Color words are ,first of all, the ways of naming different colored objects, but they are more culturally implicated as they are being used. In history ,people worship and value different colors in different dynasties. Words about colors are the true pictures of the social activities and the social ideology( 意识形态 ) of the times.

1. Yellow : 

1 . Yellow Yellow---Mostly advocate by Chinese Some examples: 金黄 golden yellow 土黄 yellowish brown 橙黄 orange yellow 米黄 cream-colored 焦黄 sallow

The implication of Yellow: 

The implication of Yellow a. Yellow culturally implies “sacredness, imperial power, honor, solemnity” “ yellow” is the color representing “earth” in the Five Elements and “the center” in the Five Directions . So in history, “yellow” stands for “imperial power and state” and “the land on which all things grow”. e.g. 皇帝 godfather emperor

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五行 木 火 土 金 水 五方 东 南 中 西 北 五色 青 红 黄 白 黑

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b. Ancient Chinese believe that yellow is the natural color that will never change. e.g. The Yellow River ---the cradle of Chinese nation. People live and farm by the Yellow River Valley, eat the glutinous millet （黄米） , rice grown on the Yellow Earth, drink the water from the Yellow River, and then have the Yellow Skin.

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c. Gold is similarly yellow, so yellow also implies “wealth, rank, and brilliance”. show the value e.g. 黄金时间 the most precious time 黄金季节 the best season of a year 黄金周 the golden week (the long holiday in May Day and the National Day In October in China) 黄金时代 the most precious lifetime---the time of youth

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Adult movie d. “ Yellow ” in today, it usually has a strong derogatory sense （ 贬义 ） related with “ sex or porn .(=pornography) 色情文学 , 色情描写 ) ”. In the 18th century, the U.S. printed many pornographic literatures in yellow paper, so they are called “ 黄色书刊” （ pornographic books and periodicals ） in Chinese. Color of yellow is related with “anti-government, sex and porn”

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e.g. 黄色电影 sex movies 黄色录像 sex videos 黄色歌曲 decadent songs 黄色酒吧 bar with sex dealings 扫黄打非 means “the campaign to sweep off prostitution and illegal pornographic literature （ 色情文学 ） or video products” 贩黄 倒黄 造黄 mean engaged in “prostitution” or engaged in “producing pornographic literature or videos” 黄 毒 porn epidemics They’re illegal !

2. Red : 

Chinese favor most 红“ red” is also called “ 赤”， “朱”，“丹”， “绯绛” 大红 bright red 火红 fiery red 枣红 purplish red 朱红 vermilion 玫瑰红 rose-red 2. Red

The implication of Red: 

The implication of Red a. Red implies “happiness, auspiciousness （吉利 , 吉兆） , joyousness and animation”, etc. People often associate the sun and the color of fire with red. The sun and fire bring people brightness, warmth and happiness. e.g. the Spring Festival the marriage or wedding

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The Spring Festival 1 .Put on antithetical( 对偶的，对立的 ) couplet on red paper （红对联） 2 .Put on “Red paper-cut” hang “red lantern” 3. light “red candles” set off “red firecrackers”

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The marriage or wedding 红喜事 1. The bride will be dressed in red and her head covered with a piece of red cloth called “ 红盖头” . The bridegroom usually wear red belt and a big red flower at the chest. 2. The wedding chamber has many red decorations. “ 囍”（ the character on red paper ） 红包 the gift-money wrapped in red paper bag The “red” marriage ——joy, happiness

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b. Red is culturally connotative in “prosperity, success, smoothness, luckiness and achievements”, etc. e.g. In the opening ceremony for business or enterprises or in the foundation stone laying ceremony ( 奠基仪式 ) or completion ceremony of a project ( 落成仪式 ) ， people will have red silk for festoons( 花环 ) and then cut the ribbons, which implies “the congratulation for success, smoothness, achievements”. 红利 bonus 红运 good luck 分红 share profits 红榜 honor roll 开门红 make a good beginning 满堂红 all-round victory 红日高照 a good fortune

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c. “Red” also implies that “someone has been highly recognized in society and is thus welcomed by people and the leadership” e.g. 很红 successful and highly recognized 走红 be in luck 红极一时 be well-known for a time Sometimes they are ironically used. 大红人 person who are highly favored 红得发紫 extremely popular 眼红 green-eyed 红眼病 be envious

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d. Since “ blood ” and “ fire ” in battles are red, “ 红” often implies the revolutionary struggle in Chinese history. e.g. 红军 the Red Army 红旗 red flag 红都 revolutionary city 红心 revolutionary heart 红五星 the red five-star 红领章 the red insignia 红领巾 the red scarf for Young Pioneers 红小鬼 the Young Soldiers 红卫兵 the red guards 红宝书 selected quotations from Chairman Mao

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e. the other 红颜 a pretty face (for pretty girl) In Buddhism 红尘 the human world 看破红尘 see through the vanity of the world 迷恋红尘 be infatuated with the worldly life 堕入红尘 sink into the worldly life In operas , the red type of facial make-up is associated with “loyalty, bravery, persistence and sincerity”.

3.Green : 

3. Green Green “ 绿” 碧绿 dark green 草绿 grass green 翠绿 jade green 深绿 dark green 墨绿 blackish green 苹果绿 apple green Green is also called “ 青” 青草 grass 青松 green pines 青山 green hills 青菜 green cabbages 青果 green fruits

The implication of Green: 

The implication of Green a. As the color of plants and trees, Green often implies “youth, peace, hope, safety, vitality”, etc. b. In traffic, green lights mean the safety pass, and dark green is the color for postal service. This is an internationally recognized practice. e.g. 开绿灯 “ those in power esp. the leaders give pass or conveniences to certain people by breaking the set rules or regulations ”.

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c. In ancient china, green implied “humble( 低微 )”, “degrading( 下贱 )” and the alike. e.g. In Tang Dynasty, officials under Grade 7( 七品官 ) had to wear green dress called “ 青衫” 戴绿帽子（ a green cap on head ） ——to describe the man whose wife had adultery( 通奸 ) affair. d. In operas, the green facial make-up usually implies “ferocity” like the green-faced ghosts in hell .

4.Black : 

4.Black

The implication of black: 

The implication of black a. Black used to carry a positive sense, implying “honor, resolution, justice and mystery”. e.g. In operas, the black facial make-up always implies “ 憨直” (honest and straightforward), “ 刚正不阿” (upright and above flattery) and “ 铁面无私” (impartial and incorruptible).

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b. As the color of night, black implies “depth, solemnity and mystery” . c. Black carries a derogatory sense implying “death, evil, danger and terror”. e.g. During the Cultural Revolution, black was related with “anti-government and anti-revolution”. 黑帮 reactionary gang 黑会 a clandestine( 秘密的，暗中的 ) meeting 黑心 evil mind 抹黑 bring shame on

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d. Black also implies “illegal, deceitful”. e.g. 黑社会 the underworld 黑户 unregistered household 黑人 unregistered resident 黑货 smuggled goods 黑市 black market 黑名单 blacklist

5.White : 

5. White White is the unbleached( 原色的 )color 雪白 snow white 葱白 very light blue 银白 silvery white 灰白 grayish white 花白 grey 鱼肚白 the whitish color of a fish’s belly( 腹部 )

The implication of White: 

a. White---the association of “nobility, pureness, brightness and cleanness, elegance, honesty, simplicity”, etc. e.g. 清白无辜 innocent 洁白如玉 as pure and white as jade 白璧无瑕 flawless white jade 白衣战士 (warriors in white) nurses in hospital The implication of White

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b. white is the color that people resent in life. e.g. When a relative die, the family members have to dress in white, and the white clothes that the off-spring wear is called “ 孝服”（ mourning apparel). The whole funeral business is called “ 白事” . c. white also implies “failure, fruitless and foolish”. e.g. 白痴 idiot 举白旗 surrender with a white flag raising

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d. the other 1. In history, people in white are all the common people called “ 庶民” . 2. 白丁 refers to “people without academic titles or official ranks”; 白屋 is “the hut where poor people live”. 白色恐怖 –The massacre( 大屠杀 ) to revolutionaries by the reactionary government 3. In operas, the white facial make-up often implies “crafty( 狡猾的 ), sinister( 险恶的 )” and the like.

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Thank you for appreciation!