Research On The English Translation Of "shoushi" Chinese Herbal Efficacy Terms

Objective:With the development of national medical and health undertakings and the promulgation and implementation of relevant policies and regulations,the revitalization of traditional Chinese medicine has ushered in a favorable time and favorable conditions.During the COVID-19 epidemic in 2020,the safe,effective and unique clinical role of traditional Chinese medicine attracted the attention of the whole world,and the international medical cooperation of traditional Chinese medicine became more and more frequent.The great value of TCM is undoubtedly the common precious wealth of mankind thus TCM is meant to make more contributions to human life and health.However,the gap between language and culture has caused great difficulties for people to recognize,understand and apply traditional Chinese medicine.The development of human culture and science and technology is inseparable from communication,and language is an important carrier of knowledge.Action terms of Chinese materia medica not only expresses the effect of TCM,but also clarifies the action mechanism of TCM.It is the core content of traditional Chinese medicine and the link between medicinal properties and clinical application.However,there exists large number of expression problems in action terms,such as multiple meaning,multiple words with one meaning,unclear logic,and unclear level.These problems first cause obstacles to readers'understanding of the action terms of TCM,then bring difficulties to the translator to translate the TCM action terms,and then affect the international exchanges and cooperation of TCM.In the final analysis,it is the poor understanding of the terms that results in a large number of literal translation,for examples,no deep digging into the connotation of action terms through words,little analysis of the specific herbs related to specific action terms,and rare concern of the context of action terms.Therefore,on the basis of the early achievements of the team,this study selected shou se related action terms as the research objects,aiming to solve the problem of literal translation of action terms.Methods:1 Selection of shou se related action termsHerbs that meet the inclusion and exclusion standards were selected from textbooks as the source of terms.Representative herbs of each kind were chosen according to the property theory and the classification of action.2 Analysis of Chinese connotation of shou se related action termsFirst,look up to Chinese dictionaries such as Elucidations of Script and Explications of Characters(Shu? Wén Ji? Zì,????),Dictionary of Common Words in Ancient Chinese(G? Hàn Y? Cháng Yòng Zì Zì Di?n,????????),Great Chinese Dictionary of Ancient Chinese(G? Hàn Y? Dà Cí Di?n,??????)to analyze the Chinese meaning of the target action term.Secondly,refer to the classic herbal works,dictionaries and textbooks,and deeply explore the connotation and characteristics of action terms of each herb from the three perspectives of word meaning,traditional Chinese medicine theory and clinical application.Finally,combined with the analysis of text interpretation,property theory,clinical application,grammar,logic,and rhetoric,to clarify the connotation of shou se related action terms of the target herbs,and to provide an explanation basis for the English translation.3 Study on the current expressions and problems of English translation of shou se related action termsTwo types of international standard terminologies on traditional Chinese medicine,five types of Chinese to English dictionaries,and six types of textbooks on Chinese Materia Medica were selected as the English version of action terms.Given the absence of specific herbs in standards and dictionaries,this study divided the 13 English translation versions into two groups:the standard and dictionary group and the English textbook group.The English translation of all shou se related action terms were collected and compiled from the above literature.The English expression of the core verb of action term was selected.The English translation of all shou se related action terms were collected and sorted out from the above literature,and the core verbs of the English expression of action terms were selected to be analyzed.According to the Chinese connotation analysis of action terms and the English interpretation of the relevant words in Oxford Advanced Learner's English-Chinese Dictionary,the corresponding translation suggestions of each traditional Chinese medicine action term were put forward.Results:According to the theory of property and the classification,a total of 9 action terms of the shou se category were determined,10 representative herbs of herbal actions,and the English translation of the shou se action terms were proposed.Table 1 Suggestions for English translation on action terms of shou se category Action terms Representative herbs Suggestions for English translation shou lian zhi han su?n z?o rén restrict lung qi to check/contain sweating Semen Ziziphi Spinosae gu biao zhi han fú xi?o mài strengthen spleen and lung qi to check/contain Fructus Tritici Levis sweating lian fei zhi ke w? wèi z? restrict lung qi to check/contain coughing and Fructus Schisandrae Sphenantherae wheezing se chang zhi xie h? z? check/contain diarrhea and dysentery Fructus Chebulae gu jing suo niao j?n y?ng z? restrict kidney qi to check/contain spermatorrhea Fructus Rosae Laevigatae and enuresis gu jing suo niao sang piao xiao strengthen kidney qi to check/contain O(?)theca Mantidis spermatorrhea and enuresis shou se zhi dai ch?n pí restrict liver blood to check/contain leukorrhagia Cortex Ailanthi se jing zhi dai sh?n yào strengthen kidney qi to check/contain Rhizoma Dioscoreae spermatorrhea and leukerrhagia shou lian zhi xue xi?n hè c?o restrict liver blood to check/contain bleeding Herba Agrimoniae gu jing zhi beng gu? ji? strengthen thoroughfare and conception channels Carapax et Plastrum Testudinis to relieve menorrhagia and metrorrhagia.Conclusion:The form of shou se related action terms are mostly four-character structure.Although this expression is short and concise,part of the information is omitted,which increases the difficulty of understanding.Therefore,the omitted content needs to be supplemented completely before translation.The connotation and logic of the action term should be connected with property theory and clinical application,which can be more comprehensive and deeply understood.Further and comprehensive understanding can ensure a broader vision of translation.Therefore,translators will not be limited to the literal correspondence of Chinese and English.Based on property theory and clinical application,the relevant knowledge of linguistics,traditional Chinese medicine and translation study did play an important role in the translation of action terms.