Cultural Differences in Chinese and Western Food

Chinese and Western cultures exhibit numerous differences due to their distinct lifestyles and historical backgrounds. As the saying goes, "Food is the first necessity of the people," and thus, cuisine, being a significant part of people's lives, best reflects the cultural differences between the East and the West.

The differences in Chinese and Western food cultures are mainly manifested in two aspects: cultural loaded words and cultural concepts. Cultural loaded words refer to specific vocabulary unique to each culture, which cannot find a completely corresponding word in the target language's vocabulary. This leads to debates on domestication versus foreignization in translation. Some translators prefer the domestication strategy, replacing these words with similar meanings in the target language, such as translating "dumplings" as "dumplings." However, "dumplings" in English generally refers to small dough made from flour or oats, which differs significantly from the original meaning. This translation can lead to misunderstandings among English readers and is not conducive to the spread of Chinese food culture. Therefore, most translators now directly transliterate it as "jiaozi," which not only effectively solves the problem of non-corresponding Sino-Western vocabulary but also conveys culture in a more direct and unique way.

Cultural concept differences can be seen by comparing Chinese and Western dish names. Chinese food naming emphasizes aesthetics, form, meaning, and rhetoric, expressing a subtle and romantic sentiment. In contrast, Western food tends to be more pragmatic, not overly concerned with form, and expresses in a simple and clear manner. Chinese dish names may combine reality with fiction, such as "Dragon and Phoenix," "Buddha Jumps Over the Wall"; convey blessings, such as "May You Have Fish Every Year," "A Hundred Years of Good Union"; or cleverly use rhetoric, such as "Ants Climbing a Tree," "The Peach Garden Oath." Most English dish names consist of three parts: ingredients, cooking methods, and place of origin, allowing readers/customers to have a general understanding of the dish through its name, such as "French onion soup," "caramelized shallots," "Texas OG barbecue." From the perspective of domestication, one can use a translative method, such as "Ants Climbing a Tree - Vermicelli with Spicy Minced Pork," "Golden Abundance - Shrimp and Egg Soup," translating the specific content of the dish in a way that conforms to the English reader's language habits. However, focusing solely on practical information can sacrifice the artistic naming and cultural connotations of the dish names. From the perspective of foreignization, one can use transliteration and direct translation, such as "Longjing Tea - Longjing Tea," "A Hundred Years of Good Union - A Long-lasting Happy Union," which retains the source language culture but may confuse readers. From the perspective of equalization (a combination of domestication and foreignization), one can use annotation, such as "Youtiao - Youtiao (Deep-fried Dough Sticker)," "Taking the Son to the Imperial Court: Duck and Pigeon," balancing readability and culturality by providing annotations that help readers understand while conveying culture.

The three translation strategies have different focuses and advantages and disadvantages. In actual translation, one should be flexible and cleverly use them according to specific situations.

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