A Cultural Dictionary of The Chinese Language - 500 Proverbs, Idioms and Maxims

A Cultural Dictionary of the Chinese Language is book mainly targeted to intermediate or high level students (HSK levels 4, 5 and 6) or academics whose main goal is to have a deep understanding of Chinese idioms, proverbs and colloquial expressions (suyu).

The book has a very academic insight and it is well structured. The boo is divided into 6 units, each focused in a certain area: nature, art, religion or politics among many others. 

At the end of the book there are appendix with all words ordered alphabetically, by their cultural value and its chronology in Chinese history. 

Description by the publisher:

A Cultural Dictionary of the Chinese Language introduces the 500 most important cultural traits of the Chinese as reflected in language use, especially in Chinese idioms (chengyu), proverbs and colloquial expressions (suyu).

Communicative competence, the ultimate goal of language learning, consists of not only linguistic, but intercultural competence, which enables the language learner to speak with fluency and understanding. The Chinese language is richly imbued with cultural wisdoms and values underlying the appropriateness of idioms in the Chinese language.

The Dictionary provides Intermediate and B1-C1 level learners as well as scholars of the Chinese language with an essential reference book as well as a useful cultural reader.

Contents

Introduction | Acknowledgments | List of Entries | 1. Overall (总论) | 2. National Character (民族性格) | 3. Religion, Philosophy, Politics, History (宗教, 哲学, 政治, 历史) | 4. Life, Society, Arts, Literature (生活, 社会, 艺术, 文学) | 5. Social Relations, Family, Women, Education (社会关系, 家庭, 女人, 教育) | 6. Nature, Animals, Language (自然, 动物, 语言) | Appendix 1: English index of entries | Appendix 2: Alphabetical index of Chinese entries | Appendix 3: Alphabetical index of Chinese expressions in footnotes | Appendix 4: Index of entries by their cultural value | Appendix 5: A brief chronology of Chinese history (to 1912)