Comparative Study On Animal Sayings In Korean And Chinese

The saying is an important part of a national language embodied the characteristics of the nation’s wisdom and culture. Sayings in Korean an d Chinese originate respectively in social lives of the two nations, ref lecting their history and culture, way of thinking and living habits.’C at’and’mouse’are two most common animals in both countries. Therefore, associated sayings are very rich.Based on the sayings of’cat’and’mouse’in Korean and Chinese, th is essay is aimed at making an analysis from the perspective of symboli c significance of the cultural and morphological structure. This article is divided into four chapters, with the first chapter as the introducti on section, which mainly includes research purposes, methods, and previo us studies. Chapter II mainly make a comparative study on the’cat’prov erbs, beginning with the symbolic meaning of’cat’in the two cultures, then followed by analysis of similarities, differences and causes of the symbolic meaning and morphological structure of sayings about’cat’. C hapter III mainly make a comparative study on the’mouse’proverbs, begi nning with the symbolic meaning of’mouse’in the two cultures, then fol lowed by analysis of similarities.differences and causes of the symboli c meaning and morphological structure of sayings about’mouse’.Chapter IV is the conclusion part.The symbolic significance of cat in Korean culture has positive aspe cts and negative ones. Positive aspects lie in its main reaction to grab the mouse and also a symbol of longevity. But because cats are nocturna1animals, the symbolic significance of cat in Korean culture is negati ve. For example, cats are claimed to be evil things, with insufficient1oyalty, its psychic, indifference, hypocrisy and so on. The symbolic mea ning of the’cat’in the Chinese culture is basically similar to Korea, but there are also differences. Cats in Chinese culture are always chara cterized with its loveliness, longevity, wealth, psychic, cunning, hypoc risy, corruption and so on. The symbolic significance of’Mouse’in Korea n culture lies in its wisdom, strong fertility, diligence, evil, betraya1, disaster and wealth while in Chinese culture, psychic, strong fertili ty, coward, evil, superficial understanding and a symbol of disasters. A s Korea and China are water-connected, belonging to the same Confucian c ultural circle, the cultural symbolic meaning of’cat’and’mouse’in Ko rean and Chinese are the same to some extent. However differences come f rom the different geographical, habits, customs of the two nations.Therefore, we can understand the similarities and differences of the two cultures and the causes by this comparison on morphological structur e of cat and mouse sayings which can also do help to the Korean learner...