LINGUOCULTUROLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF CHINESE AND RUSSIAN PAREMIAS REPRESENTING THE CONCEPT OF “LABOUR”

Abstract

Labour is the most important form of human activity that determines the material and spiritual development of society. Folk paremias preserve the life‑experience, values and worldview characteristics of ethnic groups, thus serving as an important marker of national culture. This paper presents a comparative linguocultural analysis of Russian and Chinese paremias reflecting the concept of “labour”. The study aims to identify the common and unique features in the understanding of labour within Russian and Chinese cultures. The research material comprises 200 paremias (100 units for each language) selected from well‑known phraseological collections. The analysis demonstrates that both cultures value labour positively and acknowledge that outcomes depend on invested efforts. Nevertheless, distinct differences exist. Chinese paremias associate labour with an individual’s moral self‑improvement and family well‑being. Russian proverbs emphasise the spiritual significance of labour and its role in personality formation. These differences have taken shape under the influence of natural conditions, religious traditions and historical economic practices of the two peoples. The research findings can be applied in courses on intercultural communication and linguoculturology, as well as in foreign‑language teaching.