A Comparative Study Of Chinese And Japanese Animal Proverbs

Proverbs are an important part of language,a summary of people’s labor practice and life experience,a form expression with national characteristic and rich cultural implication.Proverbs are not only often used in people’s daily oral communication,but they can also be seen everywhere in various literary works,periodicals,magazines,film and television broadcasting.In Japan Ministry of Education,Culture,Sports,Science and Technology Secondary School Curriculum Guideline ——National Language Edition even requires that proverbs be set into special chapters for students to learn and master.With the help of proverbs,we can perspective the cultural implication of China and Japan,and have a more comprehensive and in-depth understanding of the history,culture and national character of China and Japan.Animals occupy an important place in the lives of the people of China and Japan.People have created a large number of proverbs that use animal names as morphemes based on the appearance,habits,and behaviors of animals,with vivid images and profound meanings.Chinese culture has had a significant impact on Japan in history,but due to the differences in customs and national psychology between the two countries,the cognition and association of animals are also different.Chinese and Japanese animal proverbs must have their own characteristics.From the perspective of cultural linguistics,this article attempts to study Chinese and Japanese proverbs with animal names as morphemes,and analyze the similarities and differences between Chinese and Japanese languages,thinking,and the cultural information they carry.There are many animal proverbs in China and Japan.This article divides them into six categories: poultry and livestock,beasts,aquatic,birds,myths and legends,and other categories for comparative research.Through the comparison of Chinese and Japanese animal proverbs,the symbolic meaning of each animal and the reasons for cultural difference are analyzed.It is hoped that the research in this article will help to understand the cultural implication embodied in animal proverbs from different angles,and will help to understand the cultural characteristics of the China and Japan.