| Characters were created by our ancients with the integration of their understanding towards nature and society. Chinese characters are the fruit of the nation’s understanding of the world, whose shape, sound and meaning contain rich cultural connotations, reflecting the social life of that time.Chinese vocabulary is a carrier of culture and a heritage of the ancient culture of Han nationality. From the diachronic aspect, Chinese vocabulary is also a crystal of Chinese culture. A language always loads deep cultural connotation of its nation.Currently, many scholars conduct the study of cultural connotations of Chinese vocabulary and try to reveal and interpret the cultural mentality of ancestors deposited in the vocabulary. However, as the cultural connotations are so various and colorful that many scholars have to base their own researches on the contents that they are familiar with. Thus, the study would be somehow limited. Part of HSK vocabulary has been studied, while it still needs further study as different regions and ethnic groups may reflect various cultures.HSK basic vocabulary is most frequently used in daily communication, which is also the elementary vocabulary for non-native Chinese learners. Thus, in teaching Chinese as a foreign language, especially at the preliminary stage, the integration of Chinese vocabulary and Chinese culture is of great importance, as it can provokes the students’interest in learning Chinese and at the same time brings them to an in-depth understanding of Chinese language and Chinese culture, so as to master Chinese language in deed.The current thesis takes the new HSK elementary vocabulary as the research object, applying the approaches of textual research, illustration and comparation to study the semantic change and cultural connotations of the vocabulary with focus on the latter one from both synchronic and diachronic perspectives. This thesis is expected to contribute to the research of Chinese vocabulary as an assistant material for learning basic Chinese, thus containing certain significance and applicability. |
