英汉颜色词及其文化内涵比较

Color Terms and Comparison of Their Connotations
in English and Chinese

[Abstract] Color terms are impersonal existence of nature, so it is beyond human beings’ category to learn about colors. And color not only has some objective attributions, it also contains various cultural connotations and extending meanings. And it will make language livelier to properly use color terms. As man can see color with their own eyes, it seems that people have the same description of color words. However, because different peoples have different geographic environments, customs, ways of thinking, religious beliefs, regimes, literature and arts and ways of living, there is no surprise that colors are described diversely in different countries. They show the particular personalities of each nation. And language is not only the carrier of culture, but also it is an important part of culture. In other words, culture includes and influences language. People could know culture through language. So only to combine culture with language can people success in communicating with each other. There are various color terms in both Chinese and English, and almost all of them have similar and different associations, indications and connotations in both the two languages. So to have a good master of the differences and similarities of these words and their associations, indications and cultural connotations is a prerequisite for a better understanding of the different cultures of Eastern and Western countries, which will make the communication between Eastern and Western countries easier.
[Key Words] color terms; cultural differences; comparison; connotation

英汉颜色词及其文化内涵比较

【摘要】 颜色是自然界客观存在的事物，因此对色彩的认识是人类最基本的认知范畴之一.色彩不仅具有物理属性，还有着丰富的文化内涵和延伸意义，恰当地使用颜色词能使语言生辉添色。颜色词作为一种视觉效果，人们对它的感知应该是一致的。但是，由于世界各民族语言表达受地理环境，民俗风情，思维方式，宗教信仰，社会制度，文学艺术及其生活方式的差异的影响，不同民族语言表达颜色词语多寡不一，分类各异，颜色词也表现各民族独特的“个性”。而语言不仅是文化的载体，也是文化的一个重要组成部分。换句话说，文化包含语言并影响语言，通过语言可以更好的了解文化。因此，必须把语言与文化知识结合起来才能顺利地进行交际。在英汉两种语言中，表示颜色的词汇占据了很大的一部分。而且，英汉两个民族对各种颜色词在视觉上和心理上所产生的联想，象征意义，蕴含的寓意不尽相同，同中有异，异中有同。因此，了解这些颜色词及其它们的联想象征意义和蕴涵的寓意在中西方的异同点，有利于我们更好地了解中西方的文化，并促进中西文化交流。

【关键词】颜色词；文化差异；比较；内涵

1.Introduction
Color is an impersonal existence of nature. So, in essence, it is the same to all the nations in the world. And there are various words in the world to describe colors, which take up a great part in language. Every language has phrases or sentences that cannot be understood literally. Even if you know the meanings of all the words in a phrase and understand the grammar of the phrase completely, the meaning of the phrase may still be confusing.[1] So it is the case of color terms. And culture and language have a close relationship. Therefore, to communicate smoothly, people should have a good understanding of the different cultures and languages of different countries. And there exist a great deal of color terms in both Chinese and English. In some sense, they express the same meaning in both Chinese and English-speaking countries, but, there are also many differences. And most of these differences are caused by the two language-speaking countries’ different national histories, social systems, religious beliefs, characteristics, literatures and arts, customs, values, ways of thinking, ways of living and their geographic differences and so on.[2] Ignorance of these dissimilarities would cause inconveniences in communication. And though there are quite a few color terms in both Chinese and English, there are only some common color words that are often used. So it is necessary to understand the differences of these common color words and their cultural backgrounds. And the text expresses some color terms and comparison of their connotations in English and Chinese.

2. Red
Red is one of the oldest colors in the human society, and it reminds people of blood at first sight. In the process of timeless fighting against nature, human gradually knew of blood, and came to realize that blood was the source of live. So, no matter in English-speaking countries or in China, the color red always has something to do with celebration. And in all the countries, the dates of celebration or festivals are always printed red in the calendar. China is a country that is typically fond of red and tries to avoid black. Chinese pay special attention to red, which was dated back to their worship to the sun. They firmly believed that dressing in red could help keep them away from the evil. Hence, in the custom of China, red is the symbol of prosperity, festival, safety and success. Chinese believe that red will bring happiness and good luck to them. In the old China, when there was a wedding, the bridegroom always carried red ribbon, and the bride must dress in red, and wear red cover. And the whole wedding should be decorated with the red character “喜”(xi) and red couplets. In the festivals, people hung red lantern, lit red candles and stuck red couplets. And the models of workers and heroes usually wore a red flower in the front. Even today, in the Capital of China, the door of “天安门”（tiananmen）is red. So there are many terms, phrases, and idioms related to red in China. For instance, “开门红”(to get off to a good start), “红榜”(honor roll), “红白喜事”(weddings and funerals), 红娘(matchmaker) and so on. In the western countries, red stands for some happy events, too. On Christmas day, Father Christmas always dresses in red, wears a red hat. Or on ceremonious situations, the host always rolls out the red carpet to show his welcomes to the honored guests, which means the host’s sincerity.
2.1The similarities of expressing red in English and Chinese
Not only are the similarities of expressing happiness in China and the western countries, there are other sameness of the meanings of red, too.
There are some similarities in expressing people’s mood. English-speaking countries tempt to use “to become red faced” when they are embarrassed or when they are shy or feel shame. This is the same as “脸红”(lianhong) in China. Chinese people always use “脸红”(lianhong) to refer to embarrassment .
Because red is an eyes attracting color, it indicates danger in both the west and the east, especially in traffic, red is used as a signal of alarm. So there are some phrases about red in this area in both Chinese and English. Such as “红灯”(hongdeng), “红色警报”(hongsejingbao), “红牌”(hongpai) which means“a red card that is given to the people who break the traffic rules as a punishment” and so on in Chinese. And red traffic lights, red alert and etc in English.
Red has a close relationship with revolution in China and western countries. The phrase “red communist” in English has the same meaning as “红军”(hongjun), “红色政权”(hongsezhengquan) in China.
Both the two languages use red to show something unsatisfied. For example, “to be in red” in English means “to be in debt”, which has the same meaning as “赤字”(chizi), “亏空”(kuigong), “负债”(fuzhai) in China. And both “the red light district” in English and “红灯区”(hongdengqu) in Chinese convey the same connotation. In China,” red light district” is the symbol of whorehouse in the ancient times. And “红杏出墙”(hongxingchuqiang) was used to refer to those women who were not loyal to their husbands. So in both the languages, red has the connotation of pornography.
2.2The dissimilarities of expressing red in English and Chinese
Though English and Chinese have some sameness in the expressing of red, there are also a lot of dissimilarities between the languages of Chinese and English in their connotations of red
In China, red always indicates some satisfied things or events, especially in the wedding. However, in western countries, people always avoid wearing red clothes when they take part in a wedding. As red in English-speaking countries has the connotation of devil, it is not a suitable color for a wedding, which is completely different from that in China. So it is more suitable and sensible not to dress in red when attending a wedding party in western countries, and it is beyond Chinese people’s understanding.
Red sometimes is the omen of hoodoo in western countries. In the concept of English nations, red has a closed relationship with blood, sacrifice and martyrdom. And the word red will remind them of something terrible. Such as “red hands”, “red battle”, which can not be literately interpreted as “红手”(hongshou) and “红色战争”(hongsezhanzheng) in China. But they mean hands that are full of blood, and a furious battle. That people feel horrific of red has its root in the masterpiece the Bible. As it is known that the Bible is the authority of Christianism. It has enormous effects on the whole western cultures. And according to the Bible, when Jesus had the last dinner with his twelve apostles before his death, he asked them to drink his blood, which bled when he made a convention with the God to save the world. And at last he was willing to be hanged to the cross, and bled to death. He saved the world at the cost of his life.[3]
And in the culture of bullfight, battle always gets mad at the sight of red things. So there is no surprise that red usually reminds people of something horrible in the western countries. And the red flag or the red rag the matador use is always referred as something which makes people angry. Such as “like a red rag to a bull”, which means the reason of making people angry. And, gradually，，red becomes the sign of “the Random House Dictionary” in western countries. [4] Yet, in China “red rag” only means a rag in red color—“红布”(hongbu).
Though red in both the two languages of Chinese and English has something to do with revolution. It expresses different emotions. For Chinese people, red means revolution, proletariate and socialism. There are a large quantities of color terms, such as “红军”(hongjun)—“red army”, “红色政权”(hongsezhengquan)---“red political power”, “红卫兵”(hongweibing)---“red guard”, “红广场”(hongguangchang)---“red square” and “红旗”(hongqi)---“red flag”. And all of these phrases have positive effects in Chinese. But they convey a negative emotion in English. This is because most of the western countries are capitalistic countries. And it is the bourgeoisie that take the power of the country while communists always stand for the benifits of the working class. They fight against the upper class. So the upper class always sees them as the rebel. And “Red Army” and “Red Brigades” are both terroristic groups in western countries. The word red means blood in the two groups. English-speaking countries use the capital term “RED” to indicate left wing political affirmation, communists and those that have something to do with Soviet and any other communistic countries. And “reds under the beds” refers to  “the thought of communists are hidden among the masses and they have threatened the safety of the nation. “red-hunter” refers to those who persecute communists:. And “get red” is the phrase the rebel groups use to refer to communists. So, in a sense, red becomes the sign of radicalness in politics in western countries.
No matter in China or western countries, red always means some satisfied events. However, red in English have more connotations rather than happiness. It implies excitement, activeness, fervor and bravery. “Red letter day” not only means a day that is worth celebrating, but also it means that during these days, people could enjoy themselves and live it up. And “to paint the town red” often refers to some excessive binges and so on, especially those revels in the bars and night clubs.
There also exist many other differences of the connotations of red in the western and eastern countries. They can not be literately transferred. For example, “red tape” means “红带子”(hongdaizi) in China, but in the west it is connoted as trivial details or some other unnecessary and overlaborate formalities in the office. “Red cap” means”红帽子”(hongmaozi) in Chins while in England it refers to militarypolicemen. But in America, it indicates the hammals in the station, because they always wear red hats. And “red brick” in England has the meaning of the newly built universities, because such universities are always made of red bricks, which are quite different from the old universities such as Cambridge and Oxford University.

3. Black
Black is a warm and dark color, and it indicates gloom in both the western and eastern countries. So black usually has a negative effect and is connected with something evil. And there are many similarities between the languages of Chinese and English in their connotations of black.
3.1Similar usages of black in English and Chinese
Black is a sad color in both Chinese and English, which stands for sadness. People in England and the USA always dress in black when they attend a funeral to show their mourning to the dead, which is the same as in China. Chinese people tend to wear black weeds to present at a funeral. And in English “black Friday” refers to the Friday that Jesus suffered from tribulation before the Easter day. It is a depressed day. And “black tiding” means doom or something unsatisfied. And English-speaking countries consider black to be misfortune and disaster. Such as “black box”, there is a black box in each plane. It is used to take a note of all the information of the flying. And if there is an air disaster, it could be used as a proof to analyze the causes of the disaster. So “black box” has the close relationship with evil and disaster, and it is called “黑匣子”(heixiazi) in China, which can be literately interpreted. And there are many other terms with black in both China and the west that could be literately translated because they convey the same meaning.
Black has something to do with anger, furtiveness and something unlawful. This is the same in both Chinese and English. Such as “black in the face”----“脸色铁青”(liansetieqing) and “to look black at somebody”---“怒目而视”(numuershi ), the two terms in both the west and east means “to be very angry”, and “to give somebody a dirty look”. And the words “black market”---“黑市”(heishi) means a market that is unlawful. There are quite a few such words in English that convey the same meaning as those of Chinese. Such as “blacklist”---“黑名单”(heimingdan), “黑户”(heihu), “黑钱”(heiqian)
In both the west and the east, black sometimes reminds people of something abhorrent and connects with stubborn, cheat and evil. Such as “black hearted”, which can be translated as “黑心肠”(heixianchang) in Chinese. And both in the two languages, it means people who not only has an evil mind, but also often does harm to others. And the word black in “black sheep”---“害群之马”(haiqunzhima), “a black deed”---“恶劣透顶”(elietouding) and “a black lie”---“不可饶恕的谎言”(bukeraoshudehaungyan) all contain the similar meaning as in the phrase “black hearted”. And “blackleg” refers to those people who cheat in the racecourse.
Though, in most cases, black expresses a negative meaning, sometimes it conveys positive message. And this is the same in both Chinese and English. Because of its dull hue, black is always the symbol of gravity, humility and ceremony. In the medieval age of the west, many theologists excluded the fresh colors such as red, yellow, pink and so on. In their opinions, these colors stood for danger and vagueness. And they would weaken people’s attention.[5] Instead, people of that times were fond of black, because it meaned austerity and gravity. So there is no surprise that black suit and black dress is the most favorite conventional garment of the westerners. And on grand occasions, people such as high officials, famous businessmen and authoritative scholars are more likely to dress in black. The members of the symphony generally dress in black, too. And the judges in the court in both China and Western countries wear black garment to show the authority of the law. And, no matter in the west or in the east, people are likely to dress in black when they are present at a funeral to express their mourning and honors to the dead and their relatives.
3.2Diffreent usages of black in English and Chinese
Chinese and English are two different languages, but in the usages of black, they have something in common. However, because of their different cultures and other factors, there are some other differences. For example, in the art of heraldry in England, black replies wisdom and firmness. But in the works of art, black indicates evil, cheat and falsehood. And in English, “black guards” or “blacks” refers to the employed grave diggers who always wear black clothes. It also means hooligan or scoundrel. And “black coat” suggests those laborers who are different from those who work in the industries. And black has something to do with politics in the west. So in the English-speaking countries, there are various political parties and factions that are with the name of black terms. Take “black hand” in the USA for example, it is an Italian underground organization that is exclusively against the USA and committees crimes in America. And “Black Panther” refers to the party of the black. “Black Sash” is the organization in the Southern Africa set up by women to fight against segregation. And “black” refers to the black colored people in the west, too. “Black belt” is an area where the black dwell.
Black also contains some other connotations in English. They are beyond the understanding of Chinese people. It is usually applied in the area of economy. For example “on the black”, in the west, it means having profits. But in the sentence “Man has written one of his blackest records as a destroyer on the oceanic islands.” Here “blackest record” means the most shameful things in English. People who are ignorant of the meaning can hardly comprehend the sentence.

4. White
4.1Similar expressions of white in the west and the east
White is the color of snow, and there are many phrases like “as white as snow” in both English and Chinese. And it is the basic meaning of white. White has similar associations in both the west and the east. It has the meaning of purity and innocence. In the western culture, white stands for happiness and purity. For example, “a white spirit” refers to those who are green and innocent, especially girls. And, when people get married in the west, the groom always dresses in white, because white means the newly married couple’s loyalty to their marriage and their purity of love. And there are a lot of such phrases in Chinese, too, such as “洁白如玉”(jiebairuyu), “清白无辜”(qingbaiwugu), “一清二白”(yiqingerbai) and so on. They all have something to do with innocence and purity.
4.2Different expressions of white in the west and the east
But in most cases, the connotations that white carries in English are completely different from that in Chinese.
In China, white is always a sign of misfortune. It is the color that is disliked by many people, which is usually connected with sadness. So there is no surprise that in China, white is traditional the color of the livery of grave, and it is also the color of the wreaths. In China, the “白”(bai) in “红白喜事”(hongbaixishi) means funeral. But, on the contrast, in the west, white gets preference of many people. Most of the westerners think that it is the symbol of purity, elegance, brightness and bluffness. In England, white symbolizes innocence, purity and sincerity in the culture of heraldry, and white also means loyalty in the art. So in the celebrations of God and Halloween, people are likely to be in the white in the west. White in the funeral shows hope, and this is quite different from the connotation it has in China. White is greatly used in architecture, and white buildings give people a pleasant feeling. There is the White Hall in London in the UK and the White House in Washington in the USA.
In the past, white could be used to indicate the class of the old Chinese. It often related to the low class. For instance, “白衣”(baiyi), “白屋”(baiwu), “白身”(baishen) in China refered to the populace, the bothy and the person who had no official titles separately.[6] So white usually associated with the poor and the low class. And “白手”(baishou) meant to be poor, or had nothing at all. This is completely contrasted to the connotation of English. “白手起家”(baishouqijia) cannot be literately interpreted as “somebody has white hands”, otherwise many westerners would feel confused by it. In fact, the phrase means “to start from scratches or to build up from nothing” in English. In English, white is considered to be an excellent color. As there are many races with different colors in the west, the white always regard themselves as the first-rate peoples in the world. They discriminate other nations, especially the black. There is a White Australia in Australia. And “white collar workers” refers to the brainworkers, such as the administrators, engineers, suppliers, doctors, nurses, teachers and so on. Theyalways work in the office and have a better working condition than the physical workers. And it is because they often wear white shirts that they get the name “white collar workers”.
White in China contains some other connotations that are not available in the west. In China, it has something to do with politics. It is the symbol of reaction, and “the white” usually means a politically ultraconservative or reactionary person, which is just opposite to that of red. “白区”(baiqu) refers to the place which is taken up by the reactionaries , “白军”(baijun), “白匪”(baifei) is the army of the reactive, such as “国民党”(guomingdang) in the civil war of China. “白色恐怖”(baisekongbu) refers to the frantic repression by the reactive. White also can be connoted as in vain, useless and blank. For example, “白费事”(baifeishi) has the meaning of all in vain or a waste of time and energy. “白搭”(baida) means no use or no good, “白送”(baisong) conveys the message of giving away for free of charge or for nothing. And “白费力气”(baifeiliqi) has the same meaning as to beat in the air in the west. “白吃” means eating without paying.
And there are quite a few other terms about white both in English and Chinese that can not be just literately translated. Take “a white elephant” for example, it can not be interpreted to be “白象”(baixiang) in Chinese. In fact, in English, it points to those heavy, expensive but useless things. The terms dates back to the ancient times in the west, the king gave those ministers he disliked a white elephant as a punishment. For white elephant ate so much that his owner could hardly afford to feed them. “A white hat” could not be translated to be “白帽子”(baimaozi) too, it refers to the kind. This is because in American movies, the kind guys in the west always wear a white hat, and the evil tends to wear a black hat. “A white war” often refers to the economic war, because there has no blood in such wars. “The White Hall” means the English government, because most of the high-ranking officials in the government work there. And “the white book” is not a book that is blank, but the official documents in the USA and in Portugal. “White English” is the flag of the loyal navy in England. “A white night” refers to a sleepless night, especially a night spent for celebration and all that. “A white noise” points to the sound that is used to cover up the noise.[7]  “White horse” does not direct a horse in white color; instead, it refers to the wave in the sea. And “white way” indicates a busy street. “To make one’s name white again” means “to prove one’s innocence”. All of the phrases above has nothing to do with the color “白”(bai) in Chinese. So it is of great importance for both Chinese people and the westerners to recognize these different connotations when they communicate with each other.

5. Yellow
Yellow is one of the colors that are used commonly in both the west and the east. It is a very bright tint. It not only is one of the basic colors, but also it has other associations in both English and Chinese. And though English and Chinese are two different languages, in a way, they have the same origin. So there are not only differences but also similarities in the usages of color terms of yellow in both China and the western countries. However, different countries have different customs, ways of thinking, ways of living and many other different cultures. In most of the connotations, the meanings of yellow are different in the west and east.
5.1Different usages of yellow in Chinese and English
In China, yellow is the imperial color of nature, and it is the color of the earth. It is known that in the ancient China, soil played a great important part in the life of Chinese people. Hence, yellow has been considered as a color which is exclusive to the monarch. And yellow was an exalted color in the old times in China. It is the symbol of supreme power and dignity. There are many terms connected with it, such as “黄袍”(huangpao), “黄榜”(huangbang) and so on. And to dress in yellow was the right of the emperor, other people were forbidden to wear yellow clothes, or they would be regarded as the reactive. And “黄袍加身”(huangpaojiashen) has the connotation of usurping the crown successfully. And Chinese people called themselves as the offspring of “炎黄”(yanhuang). And “黄帝”(huangdi)----the emperor, was the ancestor of Chinese people in the legend. And the thought of self-centered yellow carried catered for the need of the rulers, so yellow was an exclusive color to the rulers since the ancient. The places where the rulers inhabited were mostly colored yellow. However, for the westerners, yellow is an unsatisfied color, which always associates with something unpleasant. It is connected with cowardice, beggary and the likes. Such as “a yellow dog” means someone who is despicable not a dog. “A yellow person” refers to a person who has lost all his courage for something else. “Turn yellow” has the same meaning as becoming cowfish. “Yellow streak” refers to a coward characters. And “yellow back” is a cheap novel in France. Yellow sometimes indicates those newspapers that purposely report some sensational news or exaggerate the truth of the news.
Yellow has some negative effects in China, too. It contains the meaning of obscene and downfall. There are many derogatory yellow terms in China. Such as “黄色书刊”(huangseshukan), “黄色电影”(huangsedianyiing), “黄色录带”(huangseludai) and so on. They may not be literately translated as “yellow book”, “yellow film” and “yellow tape” in English. Instead, they all contain the information of pornographic, filthy, vulgar and obscene. In China, yellow can sometimes be used to convey the information of interruption and failure. In fact, yellow did not contain such connotations in the past in China, the change of people’ opinions of the information white terms replies is the result of the influences of the western thoughts. During the period of the end of 19th century and the beginning of 20th century, the westerners printed books with the cheapest paper, and such books were called “yellow back”. And the Americans used the yellow colored paper to print some pornographic books, which were named “yellow press” in the USA. Gradually, yellow carries the meaning of inferior in the west. As the intrusion of the western countries, many western cultures came into China. And so did the usage of yellow terms. Yellow also connects with contemptibility in the west, in many arts about Christianism, yellow is the just color of the clothes for Judas who betrayed Jesus. However, yellow sometimes conveys some pleasant information in the west, especially the color of gold. “Yellow boy” does not mean a boy who is filthy, but means golden coin. And sometimes people hear the term “a golden boy”, it is used to describe a person who is so perfect that he hardly makes any mistakes. “A golden idea” means a wonderful idea. “Golden-collar” is a class emerging during these years in the developed countries in the west. They are between the white collar and the blue collar. They are not only the manufacturers but also the managers, who are good at both technology and management and marketing.
Yellow in China also carries the meaning of inexperienced and young in China, which is the same as the connotation of green in English. “黄花闺女”(huanghuaguinv), “黄毛丫头”(huangmaoyatou) both refer to young girls who have just stepped into the society and are inexperienced, which is the same as an untouched virgin in English. Yellow terms have other connotations that can not be understood just from their literal letters. In China, there emerges some other vocabulary about yellow terms. Such as “黄泉”(huangquan) means a place where the dead were buried. “黄粱美梦”(huangliangmeimeng) refers to a fond dream and “黄道吉日”(huangdaojiri) is the lucky day to do something important. There are many such terms in English, too. And yellow refers to a particular color for some subject in the west. Most of the stores and families keep a “Yellow Pages” in the USA. “Yellow Pages” is a telephone directory, it prints the telephone number of different stores, enterprises, careers and departments. Such as it sorts out all the numbers of groceries, electronic stores, air companies, hospital, recreational grounds and so on. It is a very useful book printed in yellow. And this is the reason that it gets the name Yellow Pages. And in some cities of America, it is the character “yellow” not “taxi” that is marked in a taxi. Because all the taxis there are yellow, and yellow is the symbol of taxi there. “Yellow Book” is quite different from “黄色书刊”(huangseshukan) in China. It is an official report of the government of France and other European countries. The cover is bound with yellow.[8]
5.2Some similarities in the expression of yellow in English and Chinese
There are some similarities for the usages of yellow terms in both the west and the east. For instance, as yellow is an eye attracting color,it is greatly used in the area of traffic. Yellow also is widely used in other areas.

6. Blue
Blue has the same color as the sky, and it is also the color of the ocean. In China, blue is always connected with expansion. And people tend to have the feeling of the blue sky and the cerulean ocean at the sight of blue. However, blue in China has much fewer connotations than in the west. And many of the connotations have nothing to do with the basic meaning of blue in both the west and the east.
Chinese people are fond of blue since the old times. It always associates with liveliness and vivid. And blue sky can help to stimulate people’s imagination of their future. Hence, people with such thoughts tends to regard blue to be popular in the west, too. And, in most cases, Chinese people are likely to think the popular music “Love in blue” in the west to be a romantic song. In fact, in the west, blue can not activate people’s imagination for the foreground of the future at all; instead, it will make people feel depressed. Blue in English usually has something to do with depression and groom. “In a blue mood” means “to be in an ill mood”; “feel blue” has the same meaning as “feel unhappy”; “be blue about the prospect” means to be pessimistic about one’s own future. And “blue music” is an emotional music, which is full of the plangent atmosphere and emotion created by a band led by Duke. Elinton. There is a sentence, which can be literately translated as “A person cannot be considered as being in the sad without being in the blue”. And since then, blue seems to be the sign of depression.[9] “The blues” is a jazz created by the black. “A blue Monday” refers to an unhappy Monday, because many people feel depressed on Monday. After spending a happy weekend, they are unwilling to go to school or go to work.[10] Another such phrase is “holiday blue”, which is equal to winter holiday depression. It refers to that people feel depressed and lonely during the long period of winter vacation.
Blue is an exalted color in the west. It always connects with the aristocrat, the loyal and the high rank. “Blue ribbon” is the term that is always mentioned in the west. In the western countries, people or his pets will get a blue ribbon when he or it wins the first place in a race. Take the race of dog pets for example, a blue ribbon will be granted to the first place dog. And blue is a positive word in English. “A person with blue blood” does not mean that his blood is blue; of course, the color of the blood of everyone is red. And here it connotes that the person was born in a rich family. In the USA, blue book is a special book which records the names of the famous, especially the names of the first rate officials. And “blue room” refers to the anteroom in the White House, it is the place where the president meets his customers.[11]  “Blue-eyed” not only means a person with blue eyes, but also means an employee who gets the special endearment of his boss and the local administers. And “blue-brick universities” refers to those famous universities in the west.
Blue has some other connotations in the west, and blue in different phrases carries different connotations. In the culture of English armory, blue means elegance and loyalty. In the art, the blue coat angels dress indicates faith, and it means civility if being dressed by the goddess. Blue replies humility and salvation if it is used to decorated the cathedral. In the funeral, blue means immortality for both the god and the dead. Light blue sometimes means peace. The intelligent in England are fond of blue, because it is the symbol of leaders and the electors, and it symbolize the aspiration after one’s career. And in the modern times, there are many fashions in the color of blue, especially in the USA. The Americans took the lead to create blue jeans, which enjoys great popularities all around the world now. And “blue collar” refers to the industrial workers, the farmers and the likes. They are physical workers and are always in blue uniform. In the opinions of the westerners, blue is suitable for everyone in any areas. But, light blue is fit for the young, the tall and the athletes while dark blue matches the middle age and the rich. Blue gives off a feeling of calmness, so most classrooms at school set in blue. “Blue stocking” refers to the female scholars. And “blue coat” refers to policeman in the USA.
And there are some particular terms connected with blue and express some particular meanings in English. Such as the sentence “He disappeared into the blue” means he disappeared thoroughly. “To look blue” means “to not feel very well”. And “once in a blue” means seldom and even impossible. “To drink till all’s blue” carries the same meaning as being widely drunk. And in Chinese, blue connotes some others expect for just a color. For example “蓝青官话”(lanqingguanhua) is the standard Chinese spoken by people with accent. “蓝田生玉”(lantianshengyu) means the noble people usually come from the good family and “青出于蓝而胜于蓝”(qingchuyulanershengyulan) means the students surpass the teacher or the new coming from the old is better than the old.[12]

7. Other Colors
There are many other colors in both the west and the east. They not only have the basic meanings, but also contain many other connotations. For example, purple in both the west and the east is the symbol of the Crown and the power. “To be born in the purple” means “to be born in a kingly or princely family”.[13]  “To marry into the purple” means “to build marriage relation with the royal”. And “a purple heart” is a badge that is granted to a wound serviceman. Purple sometimes expresses the feeling. “To be purple with anger” means to be in the rage. “Purple language” refers to the sarcastic words. Pink sometimes connects with obscene and worldliness. “Pink film” refers to the pornographic movies. And green in both English and Chinese symbolizes peace and hope. Such as “Green Peace Organization” in English, it is an organization with the purpose of helping to protect the plants and the animals in the world. Green also has some other connotations, “a green hand” refer to a person who is inexperienced. “Look green” has the same meaning as “to look ill”, and “to live to a green old age” means “to have a healthy body building even at an old age”.[14] “To look through green glasses” means “to be jealous of somebody”; “in the green tree” indicates someone is in a good mood. And in the USA, green connotes money and bank note, because the color of USD is green. So “green power” refers to the great effect of money. And green also reminds people of the nature and green plants. And “green swards” means the grass, “green staff” refers to vegetable and “green fingers” connotes persons who are good at gardening.

8. Conclusion
Color terms in both the west and the east have various connotations. And some of them will accord with each other in both English and Chinese. However, because different countries have different geographic environments, historic conditions, ways of thinking, religious faith and customs, there are also many differences in the connotations of color terms. And to have a good master of these differences, it is of great importance and necessity to understand different cultures of different countries. Ignorance of the cultural backgrounds of China and the western countries will result in the misunderstanding of communication between the westerners and the Chinese people. And language and culture are closely related, language reflects culture. Studying color terms and their cultural connotations in both the west and the east is good for the understanding of different nations in the world, thus it will help to promote the communication between the west and the east.

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