A Contrastive Analysis on Flower-giving Culture between Korea and China

In both Korea and China, there is a custom of giving flowers on occasions such as weddings, funerals, and celebrations. Flower-giving is considered a cultural gesture that signifies care, congratulations, emotions, and other sentiments in both countries. The etiquette of flower-giving as a gift between the two countries involves complex cross-cultural communication that includes non-verbal and verbal factors. The meaning of giving flowers varies depending on the occasions, and there are differences in the terms of flower types, shapes, colors, quantities, and specific gifting methods. Additionally, due to the disparities in the expressions of flower-related words and blessing, the intended messages can differ significantly, leading to various challenges in both understanding and expressing. These issues can easily become barriers in intercultural communication, causing embarrassment or misunderstanding and ultimately resulting in undesirable communication outcomes. Therefore, understanding the customs of flower-giving etiquette and the related linguistic differences between the two cultures is beneficial for intercultural communication.

Keywords

flower-giving culture, contrastive analysis on Korean and Chinese, intercultural communication, cultural differences, language differences

source

International Journal of Chinese Language Education; Jun 2024; Issue No. 15; p.127-157

Language

Chinese