( ) , 9 , 1 , 2008 1

Jo ur na l of H enan P olytechnic U niv ersity ( Social Sciences) , V ol. 9, No . 1, Jan. 2008

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Study of the Differences between English and Chinese Culture

through the Semantic Relations of English and Chinese Idioms
JIAO Tong mei
( D ep ar tmen t of Forei g n L ang uag es , J ia oz uo Uni v er si t y , J i aoz uo 454003, Chi na)

Abstract: English and Chinese, bot h of w hich have a long hist ory and contain plenty of idioms,
ar e fo rmed in the lo ng process of usage, and t ho se f ixed phrases w it h special messages ar e part i
cular in st ruct ure and semantic aspect. T his paper analyzes the charact erist ics of semant ic rela
t ions bet w een English and Chinese idio ms, t racks dow n the cult ur al root st o ck of t heir f ormat ion,
so t hat w e can im pr ove our competence of cross cult ur al comm unicat ion and under st and t he cul
t ure of Eng lish spoken co unt ries bet t er.
Key words: idiom ; semant ic relation; cult ur e; dif ference
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E mail: jt m. jz @ 163. com

73

g row like mushroom s

, like a

cricket on aho t g rill

laug h t heir heads o ff

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( heart )

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cricket ( ) heads ( )

, w it h aheavy heart ( ) ,
heart and soul ( ) , heart t o hear t (

( 1) Jig ging aro und like a cr icket on a hot g rill

w on't help. Docto r don't run t hese hospit al.

) ,

love w ith o ne's heart ( ) ,

f rom t he bot t om of o ne's heart ( )

( 2) M ot her's neighbo rs w ill laugh t heir heads

of f if she loses him again. . . ,

,
:
T ime and t ide w ait fo r no man (

,
,
God

) ,

kill tw o birds w it h one sto ne (

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st rike t heir on w hile it is hot (

( 3) God help t ho se who help t hemselves.

) ,
M ore haste, less speed ( ) ,
t o pass fish eyes f or pearls ( ) ,
add

( 4) M an proposes, God dispose. ,

fuel t o t he f almes ( ) ,

give so meone

heaven

green light (
) ,
pour cold w ater
on (
) , as lig ht asa feat her (

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, ( cul
t ural o ver lap) , : as st rong

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,
child's play

as a horse ( ) ,
( ) ,

as st upid as a g oose

a lion in the w ay ( ) ,

t alk

( ) ,

a w alking skelet on

ho rse ( ) ,
a black sheep ( ) ,
dr ink like a f ish ( ) , teach a pig t o play o n

,
, ; F ir st

a f lut e ( ) ,

L ady

jack of al l tr ades (

) , summ er 's day ( ) , bet t er be t he

head of a dog than t he tail of a lion. ( ,

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; T he F ir st Bloo d

t he f irst success in a con

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( f unct ion aliso morphs)

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74

2008 9

( Gricean T heory of Co versat ional Im plicat ure)

as right as r ain ( )
, be

rained of f; kno w ( learn) t he rope (

, ,

) ,
plain sailing ( ) , sink or sw im (

, sent o ff a f lea in my ear as snug as a

) , to t ide o ver ( ) , t o g o w it h the

str eam ( ) , in deep w at er (

) , keep one's head o verw at er ( )

,

bug in a r ug

,
,
,

( 1) She 's a bit out of my cl ass, don 't yo u

think so? if I did t ry t o do anyt hing I 'd o nly g et
sent of f wit h a flea in my ear.

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Shall I com pare t hee t o asum mer's day? / T hou art

( 2) I m ust dry som e seaw eed and line t his

m ore lov ely and more temper at e

crevice. I could be as snug as a bug in a rug .

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bread

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bread and but ter job

bread

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( ) ;
half baked

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, : All's f ish t hat co mes to hisnet (

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) , t o rest on one's o ars ( ) , all at

sea ( ) , as close as an oy st er ( )
,

75

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: st eal a march on ( ) , know ledg e

is pow er ( )
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t he apple of o ne 's eyes ( )
Goo d help sthose w ho help t hem selves (

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700

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I'll t ry

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four t igers
four drago ns

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[ 1]

) ; Old dog w ill mot learn mew t ricks (

[ 2]

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[ 7]

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t he Wars of t he Ro

ses; rose, be no
tall roses; r oses all t he w ay

all is f air in lov e and war (

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[ Z] .

. [ M ] . :
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. [ J] . ,
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, 1997.

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2000 ( 11) 27 31.

, 1997.
[ 4]

Go t o hell ( )

, 2000.
[ 3]

)
sick as a dog , dog tired,

o ld Adam (

: , 1986.

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Yo u ar e a lucky dog (
) , Every dog has his day (

, . [ M ] .
: , 1987.
. [ M ] . :
, 1999.
. [ M ] . :
, 2001.

[ 9]

. [ M ] . :
, 1998.

[ 10]

. [ M ] . :
, 2002.

[ 11]

. [ M ] . :
, 2001.