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【摘 要】 Idioms are essence of culture in every country，which mirrors many national unique fashions. It usually includes proverb，saying， slang，Jargon and so on. . Its forms of expression are beautiful in syllable，and harmonious in rhythm. Idioms are also the essence of a language，which have strong national colors and distinctive cultural connotations.This thesis analyzes the similarity and differences of English and Chinese idioms from the aspect of definitions，classification and characteristics and so on. All the significance of this paper is to convey the idioms' cultural information as much as possible，which is very useful for the language learning. So it is a very important and complicated thing for us to understand and use these idioms correctly.
【关键词】 idioms characteristics cultural difference differences similarities Introduction
Idioms are the essence of a language，which are always philosophical and eternal. It is“a phrase or sentence whose meaning is not clear from the meaning of its individual words and which must be learnt as a whole unit”.
English idioms and Chinese idioms are gems of the two languages as well as the crystallization of the two national cultures. Most of idioms are of vivid images，consequently，they often contain distinctive national and local colors. Some idioms have quite clear meanings; some are implicit and profound，which could cause a great deal of association，while others may include several meanings，which depend on the context to define its real indication. No translator，language learner or language teacher can afford to ignore idioms if a natural use of the target language is an aim. Therefore，with the more frequent communication between the English and the Chinese people，there is a great demand for more research in English idioms.
Chapter I Definitions of idioms.An idiom is a term or phrase whose meaning cannot be deduced from the literal definitions and the arrangement of its parts，but refers to a figurative meaning that is known only through common use. “Idiom” is a phrase or a group of words approved by people and has unique form. Its meaning is different from the literal. In general sense，the people of English and Chinese idioms includes sayings，“Nothing ventured，nothing gained”，proverbs，“No man is born wise or learned”，idiomatic phrases，"Give a hand"，and so on.
Chapter II Classification of idioms.Because of idiom's advantages，having a long history and a profound moral and strong expression，idioms often have strong national color and local color.
In both Chinese and English，there are many kinds of idioms. It includes set phrase，common sayings，proverbs，idiomatic phrase，slang，a two-part allegorical saying and allusion etc，English idioms mostly consist of set phrase，and idiomatic phrase，proverbs，common sayings，allusion and slang. Chinese idioms mostly include set phrase，and Chinese set phrase chiefly have four words and include proverbs，common sayings，allusion and a two-part allegorical saying.Chapter III Characteristics of idioms.
1 Similar characteristics
1.1 The mass of people is the creator of idioms of both languages.Starling had said that if one wants to study a language，one should establish a link between this language，and the people who create and use this language and their cultural history. Most of English and Chinese idioms are created by the masses. Folk common saying is the main source of idioms，such as“百闻不如一见”（It is better to see once than hear a hundred times）. Peasants produce idioms about farm work，while sailors create idioms about sailing and life on sea. Idioms towards sports and hunting are created by athletes and hunters，and so on.
These kinds of idioms have close relation with people's everyday life. They are active，vivid，expressive and graphic. There are great amount of those idioms in English and Chinese. They are one of the most important components for idioms.
1.2 Both have regional or geographical characteristics.Region culture refers to the culture formed by the different region，living environment，and living condition. Therefore，regional differences have effect on the expression ways of English and Chinese idioms. In terms of geographical condition，China is on the Euro-Asian continent，and it's a typical agricultural nation with a large population of peasants，who lived the land. As a result，many idioms relate to the earth. For example，“不到长城非好汉”，“福如东海，寿比南山”can greatly embody exotic Chinese regional color.But the Great Britain is an island nation with an advanced fishery. As a result，there are many English idioms about boats，water or navigation，such as“all at sea”（不知所措），“a drop in the ocean”（沧海一粟）。
1.3 Both have different figures of speech.Chinese and English languages mostly use figures of speech. They usually put a lot of efforts in form，sound and meaning.
These are:Simile:“like a cat on hot bricks”（像热锅上的蚂蚁）Metaphor:“沉鱼落雁之容，闭月羞花之貌”（have features that can make fish sink and alight，and looks that can outshine the moon and put the flowers to shame.）Personification:“Failure is mother of success”（失败乃成功之母）。Aphorism:“where there is a will，there is a way”（有志者事竟成）。Antithesis:“Love me，love my dog ”（爱屋及乌）。
While English culture differs from Chinese culture，there are similarities，even the same between these two cultures. For example，both in the east and the western country，workers have the experience“strike while the iron is hot”（趁热打铁），and nearly all peasants say“As a man sows，so he shall reap”（种瓜得瓜，种豆得豆）。
1.4 The fix or variability characteristics of idioms.Both have the fixed feature of idioms. Owing to idiom's deriving from history events，allusions，myth and tale etc.English and Chinese idioms have its habitual and usage feature. Even though some of them do not conform to grammar and logic，they can not be altered. For instance:仰望、展望、鸟瞰、盯住、浏览、凝视、巡视、观察。These Chinese words all have the meaning of“look”，but they can not use“look”instead. On one hand，English and Chinese idioms have its fixed feature，and on the other hand，they also have features of variability.Go along with the past time，people will change words，increase words or decrease words to alter original idioms.Here are some examples:“Give somebody an inch and he will take an ell”is changed into“Give him an inch and he will take a mile.”（得寸进尺）。
２ Different characteristics
2.1 The idioms on farming and sea.The idioms on farming in Chinese are more than those in English. China is a typical agricultural nation with a large population of farmers，who live on the land; farming is the root of our nation. As a result，many idioms are related to farming.For example:“留得青山在，不愁没柴烧”（A man who fights and runs away will come and fight another day）. England is and island country， and English people are fond of sea. They established a close connection between their life struggle and sea. There are many English idioms about navigation，such as“a cold fish”（冷漠的人）。
2.2 The different living-surroundings and customs.Idioms，deriving from different living-surroundings，have striking national and cultural color. Since ancient times，Chinese have lived off the land. The agricultural population in china holds the most part of whole population. Peasants accumulate a wealth of experience from farm work which far too many idioms full of agricultural culture rise there from. While England is an island country which fishery and navigation historically has a booming development. As a result，many idioms derive from sailing and fishing，such as“struggle not against the stream”，“pull not against the wind”，“a cold fish”，and so on.
2.3 Customs Differences between English and Chinese on idioms.Different idioms originate from different customs and reflect them. Folk custom，long-established by human being，is a general term of habits，antique，convention and belief and a fixed cultural pattern approved by people. There are numerous English and Chinese idioms about customs. However，owing to the custom difference，although the British and Chinese describe the same thing，there is quite a complete difference.
The Chinese often say“红白喜事”（red and white affairs）.They hold that weddings are red (happy) affairs while funerals are white (sad) events.“Red”derived from Han people's traditional marriage customs.“White”originated from the tradition custom that in funeral ceremony，the relatives are dressed in white and with burlap over their shoulders in mourning for deceased people.
Conclusion.Comparative study on the characteristics between English and Chinese idioms can help bridge the cultural gaps and enhance the effectiveness of cross-cultural communication. Also it can help English learners to have a better understanding of idioms and arouse their interest in the study of idioms. Generally，idioms could be divided into four aspects: set phrase，proverbs，common sayings and a two-part allegorical saying. Just as its scope，English and Chinese idioms come from different fields，including people's thoughts about objective world，human being themselves，philosophy and the life experience，and so on.
Bibliography
1 Liu JinDing.Translation of Chinese and English Idioms [J].武当学
刊，1995（9）
2 冯翠华.English Rhetorical Options[M].外语教学与研究出版社，
2003（4）
3 冉秀霞.Cultural Differences in English and Chinese Idioms[J].重庆
职业技术学院学报，2004
【关键词】 idioms characteristics cultural difference differences similarities Introduction
Idioms are the essence of a language，which are always philosophical and eternal. It is“a phrase or sentence whose meaning is not clear from the meaning of its individual words and which must be learnt as a whole unit”.
English idioms and Chinese idioms are gems of the two languages as well as the crystallization of the two national cultures. Most of idioms are of vivid images，consequently，they often contain distinctive national and local colors. Some idioms have quite clear meanings; some are implicit and profound，which could cause a great deal of association，while others may include several meanings，which depend on the context to define its real indication. No translator，language learner or language teacher can afford to ignore idioms if a natural use of the target language is an aim. Therefore，with the more frequent communication between the English and the Chinese people，there is a great demand for more research in English idioms.
Chapter I Definitions of idioms.An idiom is a term or phrase whose meaning cannot be deduced from the literal definitions and the arrangement of its parts，but refers to a figurative meaning that is known only through common use. “Idiom” is a phrase or a group of words approved by people and has unique form. Its meaning is different from the literal. In general sense，the people of English and Chinese idioms includes sayings，“Nothing ventured，nothing gained”，proverbs，“No man is born wise or learned”，idiomatic phrases，"Give a hand"，and so on.
Chapter II Classification of idioms.Because of idiom's advantages，having a long history and a profound moral and strong expression，idioms often have strong national color and local color.
In both Chinese and English，there are many kinds of idioms. It includes set phrase，common sayings，proverbs，idiomatic phrase，slang，a two-part allegorical saying and allusion etc，English idioms mostly consist of set phrase，and idiomatic phrase，proverbs，common sayings，allusion and slang. Chinese idioms mostly include set phrase，and Chinese set phrase chiefly have four words and include proverbs，common sayings，allusion and a two-part allegorical saying.Chapter III Characteristics of idioms.
1 Similar characteristics
1.1 The mass of people is the creator of idioms of both languages.Starling had said that if one wants to study a language，one should establish a link between this language，and the people who create and use this language and their cultural history. Most of English and Chinese idioms are created by the masses. Folk common saying is the main source of idioms，such as“百闻不如一见”（It is better to see once than hear a hundred times）. Peasants produce idioms about farm work，while sailors create idioms about sailing and life on sea. Idioms towards sports and hunting are created by athletes and hunters，and so on.
These kinds of idioms have close relation with people's everyday life. They are active，vivid，expressive and graphic. There are great amount of those idioms in English and Chinese. They are one of the most important components for idioms.
1.2 Both have regional or geographical characteristics.Region culture refers to the culture formed by the different region，living environment，and living condition. Therefore，regional differences have effect on the expression ways of English and Chinese idioms. In terms of geographical condition，China is on the Euro-Asian continent，and it's a typical agricultural nation with a large population of peasants，who lived the land. As a result，many idioms relate to the earth. For example，“不到长城非好汉”，“福如东海，寿比南山”can greatly embody exotic Chinese regional color.But the Great Britain is an island nation with an advanced fishery. As a result，there are many English idioms about boats，water or navigation，such as“all at sea”（不知所措），“a drop in the ocean”（沧海一粟）。
1.3 Both have different figures of speech.Chinese and English languages mostly use figures of speech. They usually put a lot of efforts in form，sound and meaning.
These are:Simile:“like a cat on hot bricks”（像热锅上的蚂蚁）Metaphor:“沉鱼落雁之容，闭月羞花之貌”（have features that can make fish sink and alight，and looks that can outshine the moon and put the flowers to shame.）Personification:“Failure is mother of success”（失败乃成功之母）。Aphorism:“where there is a will，there is a way”（有志者事竟成）。Antithesis:“Love me，love my dog ”（爱屋及乌）。
While English culture differs from Chinese culture，there are similarities，even the same between these two cultures. For example，both in the east and the western country，workers have the experience“strike while the iron is hot”（趁热打铁），and nearly all peasants say“As a man sows，so he shall reap”（种瓜得瓜，种豆得豆）。
1.4 The fix or variability characteristics of idioms.Both have the fixed feature of idioms. Owing to idiom's deriving from history events，allusions，myth and tale etc.English and Chinese idioms have its habitual and usage feature. Even though some of them do not conform to grammar and logic，they can not be altered. For instance:仰望、展望、鸟瞰、盯住、浏览、凝视、巡视、观察。These Chinese words all have the meaning of“look”，but they can not use“look”instead. On one hand，English and Chinese idioms have its fixed feature，and on the other hand，they also have features of variability.Go along with the past time，people will change words，increase words or decrease words to alter original idioms.Here are some examples:“Give somebody an inch and he will take an ell”is changed into“Give him an inch and he will take a mile.”（得寸进尺）。
２ Different characteristics
2.1 The idioms on farming and sea.The idioms on farming in Chinese are more than those in English. China is a typical agricultural nation with a large population of farmers，who live on the land; farming is the root of our nation. As a result，many idioms are related to farming.For example:“留得青山在，不愁没柴烧”（A man who fights and runs away will come and fight another day）. England is and island country， and English people are fond of sea. They established a close connection between their life struggle and sea. There are many English idioms about navigation，such as“a cold fish”（冷漠的人）。
2.2 The different living-surroundings and customs.Idioms，deriving from different living-surroundings，have striking national and cultural color. Since ancient times，Chinese have lived off the land. The agricultural population in china holds the most part of whole population. Peasants accumulate a wealth of experience from farm work which far too many idioms full of agricultural culture rise there from. While England is an island country which fishery and navigation historically has a booming development. As a result，many idioms derive from sailing and fishing，such as“struggle not against the stream”，“pull not against the wind”，“a cold fish”，and so on.
2.3 Customs Differences between English and Chinese on idioms.Different idioms originate from different customs and reflect them. Folk custom，long-established by human being，is a general term of habits，antique，convention and belief and a fixed cultural pattern approved by people. There are numerous English and Chinese idioms about customs. However，owing to the custom difference，although the British and Chinese describe the same thing，there is quite a complete difference.
The Chinese often say“红白喜事”（red and white affairs）.They hold that weddings are red (happy) affairs while funerals are white (sad) events.“Red”derived from Han people's traditional marriage customs.“White”originated from the tradition custom that in funeral ceremony，the relatives are dressed in white and with burlap over their shoulders in mourning for deceased people.
Conclusion.Comparative study on the characteristics between English and Chinese idioms can help bridge the cultural gaps and enhance the effectiveness of cross-cultural communication. Also it can help English learners to have a better understanding of idioms and arouse their interest in the study of idioms. Generally，idioms could be divided into four aspects: set phrase，proverbs，common sayings and a two-part allegorical saying. Just as its scope，English and Chinese idioms come from different fields，including people's thoughts about objective world，human being themselves，philosophy and the life experience，and so on.
Bibliography
1 Liu JinDing.Translation of Chinese and English Idioms [J].武当学
刊，1995（9）
2 冯翠华.English Rhetorical Options[M].外语教学与研究出版社，
2003（4）
3 冉秀霞.Cultural Differences in English and Chinese Idioms[J].重庆
职业技术学院学报，2004