四字成语中的音韵之美

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Department of Chinese Language, Alsun Faculty, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt

Abstract

Chinese proverbs are short sayings, most of which consist of four characters, encapsulating the experiences and wisdom of the Chinese people over thousands of years. These proverbs are used spontaneously in daily life, even in written language, as they seamlessly blend into the fabric of speech like a single word due to their coherence and precise construction. What makes these proverbs easy to memorize and widely circulated, aside from their ability to express various situations in the shortest way possible, is their beautiful rhythm. This study examines the rhythm in four-character Chinese proverbs and analyzes its sources.
The study begins with a brief introduction, followed by an overview of the key features of these proverbs, with a specific focus on musical harmony, which is the subject of this research. The study explores the elements that create the rhythm, which can be summarized as follows: tonal harmony, structural balance, the use of synonyms and antonyms, verbal repetition, and finally, brevity. Each element is analyzed in detail, with various types of each element explained and supported by ample examples. The study dissects a large selection of proverbs musically, highlighting the beauty they contain.

Keywords

Alsun Beni-Suef International Journal of Linguistics Translation and Literature
Volume 5, Issue 1
June 2025
Pages 155-169

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