Ý NIỆM HÓA VĂN HÓA MÀU SẮC TRONG TIẾNG NHẬT

Abstract

Humans perceive colors through our senses before naming and classifying them. A fundamental system of colors, including black and white, can be found in almost every language. However, color usage may vary widely, depending on the cultural identity of its users. The study of cultural conceptualisations of colors in Japanese - the case of black and white from the perspective of cultural cognition, will provide insights into how Japanese people uniquely perceive colors. The research findings indicate that there are three main cultural conceptualisations of the whitee color: (1) it symbolizes humans' purity, cleanliness, transparency, and innocence; (2) this color is often associated with a beautiful woman, a talented man, and fine food; and (3) white can also represent the emotions and lack of experience of young people. In contrast, the black color carries two negative notions: (1) it symbolizes bad people and evil forces, and (2) it is bad things.