INFORMATION ABOUT THE MASTER'S THESIS
1. Student's full name: LUHUI JIA2. Gender:Female
3. Date of birth: 20/01/1996
4. Place of birth: Giang Khieu Hamlet, Phai Thoi Village, Dong Mian Town, Ninh Minh County, Chongzuo City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China.
5. Decision on student admission No. 1412/QD-XHNV dated June 3, 2022, by the Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi.
6. Changes in the training process: Training extended 4 times:
First time: June 3, 2024 - December 3, 2024; Decision No. 2635 QD-XHNV, dated May 27, 2024;
Second time: December 3, 2024 - June 3, 2025; Decision No. 6097 QD-XHNV, dated November 8, 2024;
Third time: June 3, 2025 - December 3, 2025; Decision No. 3913 QD-XHNV, dated May 30, 2025;
Fourth time: December 4, 2025 - June 3, 2026; Decision No. 8371 QD-XHNV, dated November 26, 2025.
7. Thesis title: TRANSLATION AND CULTURE: TRANSLATION OF VIETNAMESE VERBAL UNITS CONTAINING WORDS REFERRING TO HUMAN BODY PARTS INTO CHINESE.
8. Major: Vietnamese Studies; Code: 8310630
9. Scientific supervisor: TS.Tran Thi Hien
10. Summary of the thesis results: This thesis surveys and analyzes the translation of Vietnamese vocabulary units containing words referring to human body parts into Chinese from a linguistic and cultural perspective. The research subject includes vocabulary units containing words referring to body parts such as head, face, eyes, hands, feet, heart, intestines, stomach, liver, intestines, etc., in Vietnamese. The main source of data consists of 527 vocabulary units collected from the Common Vietnamese-Chinese-Chinese-Vietnamese Dictionary by Thai Kiet and Ky Quang Muu (2017), combined with several dictionaries and related research works on Vietnamese, Chinese, linguistics, and translation. Descriptive, statistical-classification, comparative, semantic analysis, and translation analysis methods are used to clarify the linguistic and cultural characteristics of this vocabulary class.
Based on perspectives on symbolic meaning (Cassirer, 1944; Ullmann, 1962; Lakoff and Johnson, 1980; Kövecses, 2000, 2005) and Nida's (1964) translation theory, the study shows that the symbolic meaning of words referring to body parts in Vietnamese reflects how Vietnamese people perceive abstract concepts such as emotions, thoughts, personality, and social relationships through bodily experience. Body parts such as heart, intestines, stomach, liver, face, and eyes are not only understood in a biological sense but are also used to express the spiritual life and cultural values of the Vietnamese people.
The research results show that during the translation process into Chinese, there are three main levels of equivalence: complete equivalence, partial equivalence, and no equivalence. Cases of complete equivalence often appear in units with universal empirical characteristics such as headache.头疼(Headache problem), what you hear and see =耳闻目睹(ear, ear, eye, and tongue): Something obvious in reality, directly heard, audible. However, most cases in this study are of the type of partial equivalence, where two languages can express the same concept but use different body parts, for example, Vietnamese uses "lòng" (heart), "bụng" (belly), "rột" (intestines) while Chinese usually uses "lòng" (heart, stomach, intestines).心(heart/mind). In addition, many Vietnamese cultural terms such as "intestines outside the skin," "biological mother," and "biological child" do not have direct equivalents in Chinese and require interpretation or adjustment during translation.
Research shows that translation is not only a process of language conversion but also a process of conveying culture and the perceptions of the language-using community. Differences in the choice of body parts to express emotions and thoughts clearly reflect cultural differences and cognitive models between Vietnamese and Chinese people. The results of this thesis contribute to supplementing materials for comparative linguistics, research on symbolic meaning and Vietnamese-Chinese translation theory, and have practical value for translation activities, teaching Vietnamese and Chinese as foreign languages, as well as intercultural communication between the two nations.
11. Practical applicability: none
12. Future research directions: None
13. Published works related to the thesis: None
INFORMATION ON MASTER'S THESIS
1. Full name: LUHUI JIA2. Sex: female
3. Date of birth: 1996/01/20 4. Place of birth: Jiangjiao Hamlet, Paishi Village, Tongmian Town, Ningming County, Chongzuo City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China.
5. Admission decision number: 1412/QD-XHNV Dated 2022/06/03
6. Changes in academic process: 4 training extension periods:
1st term: June 3, 2024 – December 3, 2024; Decision No. 2635 QD-XHNV, dated May 27, 2024.
2nd term: December 3, 2024 – June 3, 2025; Decision No. 6097 QD-XHNV, dated November 08, 2024.
3rd term: June 3, 2025 – December 3, 2025; Decision No. 3913 QD-XHNV, dated May 30, 2025.
4th term: December 4, 2025 – June 3, 2026; Decision No. 8371 QD-XHNV, dated November 26, 2025.
7. Official thesis title: Tranlation and Culture: Translate Vietnamese lexical units containing words for human body parts into Chinese.
8. Major: Vietnamese Studies Code: 8310630
9. Supervisors: Dr. Tran Thi Hien
10. Summary of the findings of the thesis: The thesis investigates and analyzes the translation of Vietnamese lexical units containing words denoting human body parts into Chinese from linguistic and cultural perspectives. The research subjects include lexical units containing body-part terms such as head, face, eyes, hands, feet, heart, mind, stomach, liver, and intestines in Vietnamese.
The primary corpus consists of 527 lexical units collected from the Common Vietnamese–Chinese and Chinese–Vietnamese Dictionary by Thai Kiet and Ky Quang Muu (2017), combined with several related dictionaries and research works on Vietnamese, Chinese, linguistics, and translation studies.The study employs descriptive, statistical-classification, comparative-contrastive, semantic analysis, and translation analysis methods in order to clarify the linguistic and cultural characteristics of this lexical group.
Based on theories of symbolic meaning proposed by Ernst Cassirer (1944), Stephen Ullmann (1962), George Lakoff and Mark Johnson (1980), Zoltán Kövecses (2000, 2005), as well as Eugene Nida's translation theory (1964), the study demonstrates that the symbolic meanings of body-part terms in Vietnamese reflect the Vietnamese people's conceptualization of abstract notions such as emotions, thoughts, personality traits, and social relationships through bodily experience (embodiment). Body parts such as the heart, mind, stomach, liver, face, and eyes are understood not only in their biological sense but are also employed to express spiritual life and the cultural values of the Vietnamese people.
The research results indicate that, in the process of translation into Chinese, there are three main levels of equivalence: complete equivalence, partial equivalence, and non-equivalence. Cases of complete equivalence often occur in lexical units with universal embodied experiences, such as headaches –头疼(“a headache/problematic issue”), or something you hear and see –耳闻目睹(“to directly see and hear something in reality”).However, most cases examined in this study belong to the category of partial equivalence, in which the two languages may express the same concept while employing different body parts. For example, Vietnamese frequently uses intestines, stomach, and intestines, whereas Chinese commonly uses心(“heart/mind”). In addition, many expressions carrying strong Vietnamese cultural characteristics, such as intestine to skin, biological mother, and biological child, do not have direct equivalents in Chinese and therefore require explanation or adjustment in translation.
The study shows that translation is not merely a process of linguistic transfer, but also a process of conveying culture and the cognitive patterns of the language community. Differences in the selection of body parts to express emotions and thoughts clearly reflect the cultural distinctions and cognitive models between Vietnamese and Chinese people.
The findings of the thesis contribute additional materials to contrastive linguistics, research on symbolic meaning, and Vietnamese–Chinese translation theory. At the same time, the study also has practical significance for translation activities, the teaching of Vietnamese and Chinese as foreign languages, and intercultural communication between the two peoples.
11. Practical applicability, if any: No
12. Further research directions, if any: No
13. Thesis-related publications: No
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