A Comparative Study of Numeral Idioms Between English and Chinese

鲍璇

Abstract：Numeral Idioms have strong cultural characteristics. This paper compares the similarities and differences of numeral Idioms between English and Chinese. Combined with many cases and analyzing the causes of similarities and differences， which helps learners can use idioms in cross-cultural communication and understand the different culture.

Key words：Numeral Idioms； similarities； differences

1. Introduction

Idiom is a kind of special national language and plays an important role in languages. A lot of idioms are related to number so called numeral idioms. In daily life， these idioms exist in the newspaper， novels， TV， movies. So its necessary to learn numeral idioms and understand culture in English and Chinese better.

2. Characteristics of Idioms in English and Chinese

English idioms and Chinese idioms have different characteristics， through theanalysis of the characteristics of English and Chinese idioms. English idioms have fixed expressions. In semantic features ， which the ov-erall expression of meaningof idioms tend to be independent， complete and insep-arableentity.Asfor duality of the meaning features of English idioms， idiom meaning refers to the idiom of the literal meaning and the reality meaning.

While most chinese idioms are composed of four syllables， accounting for over 95% of the idioms. And idioms have fixed structures and full me-anings， which are not changed their composition and relationship. Moreover， Though they have concise form， but rich connotation， extremely expression.

3. Similarities on Numeral Idioms in English and Chinese

Numbers have played and important role in the process as human understand-ing and cognizing of civilization. English and Chinese are two different languages， b-ut they prossess structural， cultural connotations and rhetorical， thus in the English an-d Chinese numerical idioms have similarities.

3.1 Numeral Idioms with same structures

There are structures： NV，VO，VAA，PO，HH，CE，SE，SS，CS exist in English idioms. But in Chinese idioms： VO，VC，DH，SS，CS. Among these， there are the same structures： VO， HH， SS，CS.

VO（Verb+Object）： Put all ones eggs in one basket； Ride bayard of ten toes. In Chinese，略勝一筹，脚踏两只船，坐十一路车.Its not difficult to find： put， ride， 胜， 踏 ，坐， these verbs as predicate； basket， ten toes， 筹，船，十一路车these objects， the structure of idioms are made of them is identical.

HH（Headword+Headword）：One heart and one will， Hundred and Hundred， Six of one and half of a dozen，In Chinese： 十拿九稳、三言两语、百发百中、七上八下.

SS（Simple Sentence）：Two heads are better than one.In Chinese，三个臭皮匠顶个诸葛亮：三个女人一台戏。It can be conclude that a part of idioms strutures can be identical in English and Chinese.

3.2 Numeral Idioms with same connotation

A Part of idioms in English and Chinese，show that they have different forms ，but have the same connatation.

e.g.： One mind与万众一心，

Both mean that all people of one mind， describe the powers are united.

e.g.：Six of one and half of a dozen与半斤八两.

Both mean that two things weight are equal.

3.3 Numeral Idioms with same rhetoric skills

With vivid idioms， people achieve humorous effect in communication， this is oft-en done by simile， hyperbole， euphemism ， and rhetoric significance can be realize-d. For examples： one in English usually as "a little， small".

e.g.： one false move may lose the whole game.与一步棋错，全盘皆输.

Actually， they are pointed out that a small mistake can make a big mistake. （simile）

Secondly，there are realized by the exaggerated， as fictitious English numerals i-n less quantity and more. By exaggerating， to express the author's feelings. As same as Chinese idioms. e.g.：twenty and twenty， thousand thanks； Also as "a little， small"， such as：the t-wo cent. His chance of getting into the university are one out of a hundred. Here， "one out of a hundred" means the opportunity is tiny.Euphemism is a specia-l form of expressions， and numeral-related deficie-ncy euphemisms exist in both E-nglish and Chinese， but not so many. In English：five fingers（小偷）；third ear（告密者）.In Chinese：三只手（小偷），四只眼（戴眼镜的人）.

The numerals of the euphemistic means that they has lost the their original meanin-g， expressing a other specific meaning.

4. Differences in Numeral Idioms Between English and Chinese

In English and Chinese， there are different meanings and expressions of n-umeral idioms.Therefore， this section will analyze the differences in structure ，connotation and number.

4.1 Numeral Idioms with different structures

e.g.： Two sides of the same coin.和雙刃剑

They both means that two different aspects of the same problem. But in structure， the former is simple sentence， the latter is a phrase by consist of three words.

Another example： One swallow doesnt make summer.与单丝不成线，独木不成林.

They all means that cant judge a whole only depend on one situation. However， in structure are different ：the fomer is a simple sentence， Chinese idioms are phrase made by five words.

4.2 Numeral Idioms with different connotation

Number ninein English have “many，”“deepth” meanings ，but have no scared or honourable connotations.（YinLi，2005） While "Nine" in Chinese， the number on-e through ten， nine is the maximum number of " Yang". And because nine is the tote-m of the long lines of text， and has nine floors meaning which refers to heavenis t-he day's highest point.That evolved out of the sacred， unique premium location.（Wan-g Hongqi，2002）

From above all reviews about nine， In English，A cat has nine lives. A stitch in time save nine. A wonder lasts but nine days.While in Chinese idioms related to nine is not accident， such as： 九天攬月； 九霄云外； 九流宾客； 一言九鼎. When people express very wide，so called 九州方圆； When people express extremely cold，so called 数九寒天.

4.3 Numeral Idioms with different numbers

In English and Chinese idioms，some numerical idioms have similar structuran-d express the same meaning， but the use of numbers was not identical.

e.g.： Sweet seventeen与二八佳人 Both the meanings of the idioms is a beautiful young girl， structure is made up of simple numbers， and is the person， but used in the nu-mbers are different.

e.g.： Think twice before you leap 与三思而后行Both of idioms are described as think carefully before you act. Here， the structure and connotation are identical， but the formeris used by twice， but the latter is used by number three.

5. Causes of Similarities and Differences

The causes of similarities and differences of numeral idioms in English and chinese are also different. The following section will analyze the causes of sim-ilarities and differences of numeral idioms in English and Chinese.

5.1 Cause of Similarities

British culture is strongly influenced by ancient Greece and Rome myth's influence. （Pinghong，2000） In Roman mythology， the God Jupiter 's authority comes from the hands of the three pointed lightning rod， God of the sea Nepeutune relies on its Trident， Pluto is a three-headed dog， where the three gods rule the world. The number "3" culture has been well reflected in the myth.

In Chinese culture， numeral culture has very close links with the ancient myths and legends. In Chinese mythology， there is a Superman---Nezha， has three heads， in charge of Justice， he is able to turn herself into three， and possesses extraordinary powers. Therefore， the number "3" was given a "strong Magical "culture.

5.2 Causes of Differences

5.2.1 Differences in Social Custom

Each ethnic language in the course of its long history shaped by different fol-k culture. For thousands of years， the number 13 in English-speaking countries ar-e regarded as unlucky number. Chinese people prefer number nine， just because nine and Chinese dragons characters written are similar， and used to be repr-esentatives of the nine Emperor， nine gate of the forbidden city， its said Palac-e has 999 rooms.

5.2.2Differences in thinking pattern

Way of thinking is fixed， static thought patterns and a processes， reflecting th-e national psychology.（ Zhangfen，2013） Westerners are more focused on analysis an-d logicality. Westerners value fixed elements such as the sentences and phrases.Chin-ese thinks of the nature as a starting point， by virtue of rational consolidation， ischaracterized by intuition and a harmonious mode of thinking.

6. Conclusion

This paper shows that numeral Idioms have strong cultural characteristics.

For idioms in English and Chinese， there is identical and non-identical in expression and connotations. （Hu yue，2005） And through contrasting numeral idioms， learners can find differences in English and Chinese. The study of numeral idioms English and Chinese can help learners understand different historical cultures and how to use in daily life in a way. If learners could use idioms well， it will have a great effect on translation of idioms as well as cross-cultural communication.

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