Abstract

    There are many descriptions of cats in Chinese and English expressions and literary works. In both Chinese and English expressions and literary works, cats’ various images reflect deep connotations of Chinese and Western cultures from these two kinds of linguistic forms. The paper presents cats’ diverse images in Chinese and English expressions and literary works and aims at embodying the similarities and differences that cats’ images and connotations bring. With the help of cats’ diverse images in Chinese and English, we can gain a better understanding of the relations between Chinese and Western cultures.

Key words: cats’ images; expressions in Chinese and English; literary works in Chinese and English; cultural comparison

摘要

       汉英日常用语中有很多关于猫的表达，而汉英文学作品也有很多关于猫的书写。无论是汉英日常用语，还是汉英文学作品，这两种语言形式中呈现的猫的形象都各有不同，折射了中西文化的深层差异。本文主要梳理了汉英两种语言形式中所表现的猫的不同形象，重点从汉英日常用语中猫的形象和汉英文学作品中猫的形象两方面论述了中西文化的不同特征和内涵，借助汉英语言中呈现的猫的不同形象研究中西文化的差异和相通之处。

关键词：猫的形象；汉英日常用语；汉英文学作品；文化比较

1. Introduction
Chinese and English have rich culture of their own specific features, which have been the carriers of massive animal idioms and literature characters. Every language in the world is rooted in a specific cultural background which reflects specific cultural content. As a result of different historical and cultural background, the customs and people's way of thinking, different understandings towards animal culture and associative meanings have been formed by scholars from all walks of life. Cats, considered as one of the most beloved animals among people from all around the world, have not only been the focus of numerous representative Chinese and English expressions, but also have become a vivid character in a great many of literary works. 
      Whether through Chinese and English expressions or literary works, cats’ various images reflect deep connotations of Chinese and Western cultures. Therefore, it’s important to examine the representation of the cat’s images in Chinese and English expressions as well as the descriptions of cats in literary works. This paper will analyze the cat’s images in two kinds of linguistic forms, namely, Chinese and English expressions and literary writings, with the focus on how the cat’s images presented in these two kinds of linguistic forms reflect the differences of Chinese and English cultures.  Apart from introductory and concluding parts, this paper can be divided into two parts in demonstration. In demonstration, the paper first compares the cat’s images in Chinese and English expressions and discusses cultural significances of different cat images in Chinese and English expressions. The paper further explores cats’ images in literary works and aims at unveiling the roles cats have played in different cultural backgrounds ever since. With the help of cats’ diverse images in Chinese and English, we can gain a better understanding of the relations between Chinese and Western cultures.