The red color in Russian, French and Chinese linguistic cultures on the example of phraseology and proverbs

Chzhen Wenxuan Postgraduate student, Department of French Language and Culture, Faculty of Foreign Languages and Area Studies, Lomonosov Moscow State University 119991, Russia, Moscow, Leninskie Gory str., 1, p. 13 tchzhen.vensyuan@yandex.ru Other publications by this author

Introduction

In the field of comparative linguistics, many works compare different linguistic worldviews. Here it is worth highlighting the works of Li, Ts. ^[12], Galiulinov I. R. ^[4], Wang Ts. ^[3]. It is also worth noting the series of works by Golovanivskaya, M.K. and Efimenko, N.A., dedicated to the basic concepts of Russian and French language worldviews ^[5][6][7][8], and conducting a comparison of basic concepts in Russian, French, and Chinese.

The designation of colors serves as a key element of the linguistic and chromatic landscapes of the world, embodying ethnically specific nuances and characteristics that are in a state of constant evolution, determined by social and historical trajectories of human development. The phenomenon of native speakers of different languages attributing different designations to the same colors is a reflection of the unique contours of global linguistic and chromatic tapestries. At the same time, there is a tendency to harmonize the color nomenclature, going beyond linguistic and cultural boundaries. Scientific research in the field of linguistics and cultural anthropology has shown that the vocabulary of color is deeply rooted in the cultural and historical fabric of civilization. For example, in the Chinese cultural environment, colors have symbolic meaning and are inextricably linked to specific attributes or aspects of existence; red, for example, symbolizes good luck and rejoicing in China, whereas in the context of Western cultures it can mean danger or fervor.

Observations show that certain color associations are generally recognized in different cultures and are associated with a common cultural heritage or historical episodes. For example, black is universally associated with themes of mourning and despondency that transcend linguistic and cultural differences.

In the complex mosaic of a modern world filled with many cultures, the kingdom of flowers enriches our global experience, often overcoming cultural differences and promoting multifaceted perceptions and interactions that have a profound impact, especially in the field of the information age. Consequently, one of the primary tasks of modern society is to educate individuals who are able to participate in intercultural communication and capture the nuances of the worldview formulated by native speakers of other languages. According to S.G. Ter-Minasova, language serves as a guide to the material world, reflecting the cognitive landscapes of its speakers ^[14]. The lexicon of colors, an integral part of idiomatic expressions, permeates every culture, embodying the most vivid socio-cultural narratives accumulated over generations. The sensations caused by colors contain innate associations rooted in our collective psyche, the legacy of national cultural traditions and personal color associations formed by individual experience. As Ter-Minasova explained in her 2000 treatise, fundamental associations with natural colors tend to be surprisingly consistent or strikingly similar among people belonging to different national roots ^[14].

The classification of primary color symbols, traditionally covering shades such as white, black, red, blue, green and yellow, is subject to cultural and geographical differences, while there are no generally accepted criteria for designating them as "primary colors". This complex topic is revealed in detail in the work of R.M. Frumkina "Color, meaning, similarity", which delves into the subtleties of color perception and symbolism ^[16].

B. A. Bazyma identifies three fundamental principles underlying the use of color symbols: the inner meaning of the color itself, synergetic symbolism resulting from the interaction of several colors, and subtle symbolism resulting from the fusion of colors with shapes. This latter principle covers a wide range of symbolism, ranging from the abstract representation of geometric shapes to the tangible representation of physical objects through color ^[1].

In addition, the linguistic dimension of color symbolism, manifested in everyday and literary discourse through "color metaphors" such as "blue socks", has changed significantly since the era of natural dyes. This evolution reflects the dynamic nature of color symbolism throughout history.

Color plays a key role in the field of global knowledge, while idiomatic expressions rich in color components form an integral part of folklore and cultural heritage of various peoples. The analysis of such idioms is an exciting activity in the field of modern languages and cultures, allowing you to understand how color, as the main category of world perception, embodies the distinctive elements of folklore and culture of each nation.

In our study, we selected the most striking color idioms reflecting the worldview of native speakers of Russian, Chinese and French. To fully understand these idioms, it is important to grasp the concept of "idiom". Idioms derived from the Greek word "idios", meaning "own, characteristic", are semantically coherent phrases, the meanings of which cannot be deduced from their individual components, since they have a completely clear semantic autonomy ^[13].

In the linguistic landscape of various cultures, we observe the ubiquity of the terms "blood" and "fire", denoting a common semantic area. The color red, with its initial shades of bloodiness, pink hue, anger and shyness, historically formed an indelible connection with the ideologies of socialism, which subsequently gave rise to its secondary shade as a symbol of revolution. Fire, which has an internal connection with the sun, represents light and heat, and everywhere red is used to indicate intense heat. In the cultural context of Russia, France and China, the red color symbolizes a holiday and celebration. However, like all phenomena, fire has a dual nature; although it is a source of life-giving heat, it simultaneously represents a danger, a meaning that was assimilated by Chinese culture along with the emergence of Western scientific thought at the end of the Qin Dynasty ^[11].

In bygone eras, red pigment was a coveted luxury available only to a select few, thus becoming a symbol of power and prosperity. An example of this is the choice of clothing of Christian cardinals and the vestments of high-ranking civil officials in ancient China, who wore red robes to signify their high status.

A subtle understanding of the multifaceted symbolism of red in different countries can greatly facilitate our understanding of these cultures and enhance our international communication skills.

The color red can cause strong emotional reactions, mostly of a positive nature, which leads to its association with such descriptors as "beautiful" and "wonderful".

Although the above-mentioned properties of red are mostly positive, it must be recognized that this color is also filled with negative connotations, which, unfortunately, can sometimes overshadow its positive aspects. Themes of bloodshed, violence, revenge, and demonic entities are often represented in red. This shade is intertwined with the concepts of aggression and sensuality, and is often depicted as a symbol of lawlessness and shame, which is contained in the biblical mention that sin is "red as the color of Dan" [Isaiah 1:18].

Red color in Russian culture

The color red in Russian culture has a rich symbolism that permeates various spheres of life and society. This bright and saturated color embodies a variety of concepts and feelings, ranging from beauty, energy and youth, to abundance, passion and even danger. In Russian culture, red is often associated with vitality, dynamism and emotionality. For example, expressions like "red fellow", "red maiden" and "red sun" reflect positive associations with youth, beauty and energy ^[9].

However, the red color also carries a dual meaning, symbolizing not only joy and prosperity, but also difficulties and trials. The saying "Some live in red, some in black" emphasizes this duality, pointing out that life consists of different moments - both positive and negative. This reflects the complexity of human destiny and nature ^[17].

The color red is also often used in metaphors and phraseological units. For example, the expression "red with shame" ^[15] describes embarrassment and shame expressed through redness of the face. Phrases like "red as a poppy/crab/tomato" also reflect associations with a bright and saturated color that attracts attention.

The saying "red money" emphasizes the negative context of red, associating it with illegal or obscene actions. This image may indicate the danger or risks associated with the use of red in this context ^{[10, p. 79]}.

The "Red Book" in Russian culture is an official document listing endangered species of plants and animals. This term has a deep symbolic meaning, reflecting the care and responsibility for the surrounding nature. He emphasizes the importance of preserving biological diversity and respecting nature as a valuable resource that needs to be protected for future generations.

The "red Day of the calendar", in turn, means a special or festive day, often associated with some important event or memorable date. This term is also symbolic, indicating the importance and significance of certain moments in the life of society. It can celebrate not only holidays and anniversaries, but also memorial days, anniversaries and other important events that are of particular importance for the culture and history of the country ^[2].

The color red in French culture

In French, red is often used to express various emotions and states. One of the most common images associated with the color red is anger. In expressions such as "une col?re rouge" (intense anger), "se f?cher tout rouge" (to get very angry) and "voir tout rouge" (to flare up) ^[18], red represents the intensity of emotions and emotional charge. "red" in this context emphasizes the intensity of emotions. The color red is associated with fiery flames and rage, which makes this phrase visually expressive and emotionally intense. The image of a person turning "completely red" as a result of anger creates an image of intense and short-tempered behavior. It also reflects the moment when a person experiences such intense anger that he "sees everything red" ^[19]. These phrases emphasize the importance of the color red in expressing strong feelings and emotional reactions.

In the context of cultural linguistics, the symbolism of the color red in French also reflects a variety of interpretations and feelings. For example, the expression "marking someone with red ink" (marquer quelqu'un ? l'encre rouge) indicates a hidden hostility towards this person. The use of red ink for labeling symbolizes hostility and rejection. This expression indicates a negative attitude towards a person and creates an image of violation or discrimination. Also, the phrase "shooting red balls at someone" (tirer ? boulets rouges sur quelqu'un) metaphorically describes an intense and merciless attack ^[18]. These expressions emphasize the negative connotations of red associated with aggression and hostility.

In addition, red is used in French to express embarrassment or shame. For example, the expression "red with shame" (rouge de honte) indicates strong feelings of embarrassment or shame expressed through redness of the face.

Finally, persistent phrases such as "red like a crab/tomato/poppy" also demonstrate the variety of associations and symbols associated with the color red in French ^[18]. The analogy with red objects gives the expression brightness and clarity. The use of red in this context emphasizes the expressiveness and brightness of the image.

Thus, the color red in stable expressions of the French language is a powerful means of expressing emotions, symbolizing anger, shame, aggression and other feelings.

The color red in Chinese culture

In China, the color red is traditionally used in joyful events, as shown by the words "a red firebird" (red firebird = lucky star), "a red egg" (red egg = colored egg sent by parents on the occasion of the birth of a child) and "a red envelope" ^[21].

In Chinese, the color red is associated with female beauty, as shown by the words "" (red face) and "" (red outfit), denoting a beautiful girl.

Consideration of proverbs and phraseological units associated with red or burgundy color allows you to deepen your understanding of cultural and linguistic features. For example, the Chinese expression "" (Fruits naturally to be red, and success comes naturally), "" (White teeth, red Jogging language), "" (White tofu highlights red blood) and "–" (White knife stick, and a red pull) reflect deep cultural values and attitudes associated with the color ^[20].

In Chinese culture, the color red usually carries positive connotations, being perceived as a symbol of life and beauty. Dictionary definitions emphasize that the h?ng represents the color of blood, serving as a euphemism for the word "blood" and an antonomy for beauty. The phrase "" means "to see the color red", which may indicate the shedding of blood. The expression "A white knife enters, a red knife leaves" describes a scene of a bloody fight, where a "red knife" is a knife stained with blood ^[20]. "" refers to a man's close friend with whom he does not have a romantic relationship, but only friendship. "" and "" reflect the tragic fate of beautiful women, while "" originally symbolized spring, but now most often indicates the infidelity of his wife ^[20].

The color red is also associated with joyful events such as love, weddings, the birth of children and the celebration of the New Year. "A" means joy and health reflected on the face, and "A" is a character from a classic Chinese drama, which is now used to refer to a matchmaker. The phrase refers to weddings and funerals, where it is traditionally believed that the death of elderly people without diseases and disasters after 70 years is a reason for joy, although in fact it is difficult to accept the loss of loved ones.

"" (with a red face and hot ears) expresses embarrassment, and the color red in the context of social revolution and power has a special meaning. "The red quotation book" is called the Mao Zedong quotation book, "the red tie" symbolizes the pioneers, "the red songs" means the genre of songs about the revolution and the construction of socialism, and "the red heart" indicates loyalty to the proletarian revolution. At the same time, "red studies" is not related to socialism, but refers to the study of the classic Chinese novel "The Dream in the Red Chamber", where the color red is associated with women of an aristocratic family ^[20].

However, in Chinese, the color red can also be associated with debt and poverty, as can be seen from the expressions "" (red letter) and "" (red poverty).

The proverb "" (red wolves or black wolves — they all eat people) illustrates that evil people are the same, regardless of appearance: black symbolizes evil, and red symbolizes good in ancient Chinese culture, where the wolf is a symbol of malice ^[20].

Embarrassment expressed through redness is a universal phenomenon in various cultures, as evidenced by the expression "" in Chinese. The red color of the skin caused by shame or embarrassment symbolizes emotional vulnerability and sensitivity.

In addition, in Chinese, the color red can symbolize envy, which is illustrated by the expression "red eyes", indicating the desire to possess what another person has, and is often associated with negative emotions and dissatisfaction with their position.

The expression "red like boiled crayfish" in Chinese creates an image of a rich red color, which is associated with fried or boiled crayfish. This expression can be used to describe the brightness or intensity of a red color, as well as to emphasize the saturation of an aspect.

Conclusion

The study of color symbolism in the linguistic landscape shows that the shade of red is not only chromatic expressions, but is deeply rooted in the phraseology of Russian, French and Chinese cultures. These colors, going beyond their visual representation, are woven into the fabric of language, reflecting the multifaceted perception of the world by different societies. The study highlights the importance of red in the formation of phraseological constructions in these languages, emphasizing their role in reflecting the cultural and historical fabric of human civilization.

Red, often reminiscent of the essence of blood and fire, resonates with feelings of passion, danger and revolution, and also symbolizes beauty, celebration and, paradoxically, debt and poverty in various cultural contexts. The inclusion of these colors in linguistic units emphasizes their internal connection with national identity and lifestyle, tracing the evolution of cultural characteristics and customs through the prism of language.

It can be concluded that although the fundamental meanings of colors may have common features in different languages, their metaphorical and semantic interpretations in idiomatic expressions can vary significantly, reflecting the unique cultural and historical nuances of each language. Thus, idioms serve as a gateway to understanding the collective consciousness and worldview of the people, and the study of color phenomena in idioms provides an opportunity to look into national identity and linguistic evolution.

Moreover, the analysis shows that despite the fact that the dictionary definitions of red are largely consistent, its use in lexical constructions and attitudes towards it differ markedly in different languages. This option assumes that even with common lexical definitions, the color red acquires different connotations and meanings in phrasal units, expressions and nomenclature of each language, encapsulating the various cultural and historical attributes inherent in each language group.