Interactions between different cultures are inevitably followed by the mutual borrowing of words. On the heels of the increasingly close contacts between China and the outside, and the continual rise of Chinese influence in the world, international society has become more and more aware of and knowledgeable about China. As a result, a number of words specific to China in the areas of government, economy, and culture have, in seemingly unconscious fashion, entered into the English language. There are essentially two ways in which Chinese terms enter into English: one is directly, with words such as shaolin, yin-yang, jiaozi, xiaokang; another is through loan translations, such as “Chinese dream,” and “Belt and Road.” The 70 words selected for this work both represent traditional Chinese culture as well as reflect new concepts and innovations in China. The work employs definitions found in authoritative English language dictionaries as well as examples from mainstream media, which both provide strong evidence for their usage and also bring the examples close to home for the reader.
不同文化的交流必然伴随着词语的相互借用。随着中外交往的日益密切以及中国在世界上影响力的不断提升,国际社会对中国的理解和认知越来越深,一些带有中国特色的政治、经济、文化类词语也在不知不觉中进入了英语的话语体系。中文词语进入英文主要有两种方式,一种是音译,比如“少林、阴阳、饺子、小康”;一种是意译,比如“中国梦、一带一路”。本书选取的70个词语既有代表中国传统文化的,又有反映中国新事物、新概念的。此外,书中引用权威英文词典的解释和主流媒体的用例,不仅具有很强的说服力,同时也更贴近读者的生活。
Paperback, Simplified Chinese characters and English or English, 142 pages/book, 7.7”x5”