Linguocultural Features of Similes Related to Year Names in English and Chinese

Abstract

It is well known that comparative studies, which allow the identification of the universal and national characteristics of the phraseological systems of unrelated languages, hold a special place in linguistics. In this regard, the semantic structure of phraseological units, particularly similes, represents a complex and multidimensional constructional system that requires comprehensive analysis. From the perspective of symbolic meaning, the similes examined in this article in English and Chinese reflect a subject's qualitative and descriptive attributes. For example, in English, "brave as a lion" literally means "as brave as a lion." At the same time, figuratively, it describes people, animals, or objects that demonstrate exceptional courage or bravery in various situations. In Chinese, 人中狮子 (rén zhōng shī zi) literally translates to "a lion among people," but figuratively, it characterises intelligent and talented individuals. Fixed expressions related to the names of years in English and Chinese serve as the research subject of this study. Based on The Dictionary of Chinese Idioms, The Dictionary of English Fixed Expressions, and other lexicographic sources, a comparative, quantitative, and systematic analysis, along with other research methods, is employed to identify and explain the linguocultural features of similes associated with the twelve zodiac signs in English and Chinese.