Research On Synonymous Relation Of Nouns In XunZi

XunZi is one of history records in pre-Qin literatures that is well-off in linguistic characteristics. Its document is very authentic and its vocabulary is large, so it is significant language material for the purpose of studying pre-Qin Chinese. Synonymous relation is a kind of special and important paradigmatic relation in vocabulary. Based on taking existing achievements of research for reference, for example, ancient and current exegesis, texture criticisms and commentaries and so on, we utilized scientific theories and methods of modern linguistics, lexicology and semantics to analyze and describe synonymous relation of nouns in XunZi completely and thoroughly, meanwhile, we elucidated and generalized the meanings of nouns having synonymous relation. The thesis is important research on the establishment, similarities and dissimilarities between meanings, combination and collection in words, and extension of meanings of synonymous relation of nouns in XunZi. In the process of research, we combined qualitative analysis and quantitative analysis, objective description and theoretic summary in the whole paper. On the base of possibly exhaustive statistical analysis of each synonymous noun and its meaning in XunZi, we attached importance to synchronic research on synonymous relation of nouns in XunZi, after this, the thesis discussed their characteristics, causes of formation and functions.