國慶話說漢英詞典中的“國”字

在漢語言中，“國”字已有三千多年的歷史，具有深刻的表意視覺功能與哲理意趣。該字最早始見于甲骨文中，由一個“戈”和一個 “口”組成，意指擁有一定的地域，需要由武器來保衛。到了商朝晚期，銅鼎銘文中的“國”寫成“或”，其中的“口”表示國土、疆域，“戈”表示以兵器而衛之，而“一”則表示領土之境界?！墩f文解字》中云：“或者，邦也，從口從戈，一以戈，一為守，其義尚不明。”到了周代晚期，“或”字外面加了個“囗（wéi）”，表示疆域的范圍?！墩f文解字》又云：“國，邦也，從囗從或?！蓖高^“國”字，我們可以感受到漢語言富有哲理的造字創意，領悟到國家必須具備的四個條件：一是人口，以小“口”代表;二是疆土范圍，以大“囗”代表，表示國家周邊應該有布防;三是土地，以“一”代表，表示國家與土地和農業之密切關聯;四是軍隊，以“戈”來代表，表示軍隊肩負著保家衛國之重任。后漢時期，“國”字簡化為“囯”字，“囗”里從“王”，蓋“囗”為“普天之下，莫非王土”之意，含有濃厚的封建色彩。魏晉六朝時期，“囗”里從“民”，“囯”字寫成“囻”字，蓋“囗”為“國以民為本”之意，體現了春秋時代孟子的“民貴君輕”的思想。宋元時期，出現了我們今天通用的簡化字“國”，“囗”里從“玉”，蓋“囗”為“地大物博，寶藏豐富”之意。

據不完全統計，“國”的異體字有42種之多，比如“囗”中加“武”“眾”“土”“主”“氏”等和三個秦（?）代表“國”字。由此可見，“國”字在漢語言中具有巨大的生命力與創造性。

1956年，我國頒布了簡化字方案，將“國”簡化為“國”，“囗”里從“玉”。一方面，該字反映了我國“玉”文化具有悠久歷史;另一方面，該字體現了國家作為如玉之寶的無限價值，要讓我們愛護寶物一樣珍愛自己的國家，有道是國家啊國家，有國才有家。

今年是中華人民共和國成立70周年。在這國慶佳節之際，我們不妨檢閱一下漢英詞典中一些有關“國”字的表達法，希望借此提高對“國”字的認識，激發新的愛國情愫，同時對漢英詞典的生命力有所感受。

本文選取了《中華漢英大詞典》編纂者自以為迻譯尚有特點的有關“國”字的表達法，其目的在于與廣大讀者共享并敦請廣大讀者質疑與指謬。

一、“國”字的界定

1. “國家”之意= nation; country; state：愛～者a patriot | 愛～主義patriotism | ～棉廠a state-owned cotton mill | 賣～賊a traitor to one’s country | 安邦治～ bring peace to the country and manage state affairs | 為～增光bring credit to one’s country | ～將不～ the country will go down the sink

2. “國都”之意= capital city：參～之一one-third as large as the nation’s capital

3. “建國;建都”之意= to found a country or capital ～于中原establish a capital in the Central Plains

4. “城邑”之意= city [in general]：～有～事a city has its own affairs

5. “古代王、候的封地”之意= fiefdom：開～ open up the fiefdom

6. “地域”之意= region （of country）：山～ a mountainous region | 水鄉澤～a region of rivers and lakes

7. “家鄉”之意= hometown; native place：遜位歸～ abdicate and return to one’s hometown

8. “與帝王或皇室有關的”之意= imperial; royal see 國姓

9. “國中最好的或最美的”之意= best in the country see 國手、國色

10. “本朝的”之意= of the present dynasty see 國朝

11. “中國特有的”之意= Chinese; of China see 國畫

12. “代表國家的”之意= national; representing the state：～定節日a national holiday

13. “部落”之意= tribe：七十八～ seventy-eight tribes

14. “地方”之意= place：有用武之～ have scope to display one’s abilities

15. “姓”之意= Guo [surname]

二、與“國”有關的兩字表達法

1. 國寶national treasure （literally of an object， or figuratively of a person）：～級文物/演員a cultural artifact/actor widely considered a national asset

2. 國本 ①foundations of the state：民為～ the people form the basis of the state ②book or copy collected by the state ③[Hist] crown prince [during the Song Dynasty]

3. 國別 ①nationality [eg as an item to fill in on a form]：～史the history of individual countries ②〈lit〉 differences between nations：～政策individualized policy towards different countries

4. 國恥national humiliation：不忘/洗雪～ not forget/wipe out a national disgrace

5. 國仇wrongs done to a nation; national enmity：～家恨enmity borne by an entire nation and feud for/grudges of an individual family

6. 國粹quintessence or best of a nation’s culture：中醫是三大～之一Chinese medicine is one of the three quintessential components of Chinese culture

7. 國法law of the land：觸犯～ violate the state law

8. 國防national defence：加強～建設build up a country’s defences | 削減～開支cut defence spending

9. 國父founding father; father of a country [eg George Washington in the United States]

10. 國歌national anthem：奏響中華人民共和國～ play the National Anthem of the People’s Republic of China

11. 國格national honour or dignity [in foreign affairs]：維護～ defend national prestige

12. 國號title of a reigning dynasty：改～為唐change the dynasty name to Tang

13. 國華 （flower of the nation） national essence [eg， outstanding talent， national treasure]

14. 國徽national emblem

15. 國魂national spirit or essence：提振～ advocate the national spirit

16. 國計〈lit〉 ①national economy ②national policy

17. 國腳national footballer; soccer player on the national team

18. 國界national boundary：超越～的愛love beyond boundaries | 確定～ fix the borderline | 醫生無～ doctors are without borders

19. 國脈〈lit〉 life of the nation

20. 國門①〈lit〉 gate to the capital ②〈fig〉 frontier：拒敵于～之外ward off enemy troops beyond the border ③ 〈fig〉 national policy or stipulation：打開～，走向世界open up to the outside world ④〈old〉 god protecting the city gates

21. 國旗national flag：升～ hoist the national flag

22. 國器〈lit〉 talent useful to the nation

23. 國情national conditions; state of the nation：符合～ conform to the actual situations of a nation

24. 國慶National Day [eg October 1 in the People’s Republic of China， July 4 in the United States]：～觀禮review of the National Day parade

25. 國人〈lit〉 ①compatriot：這一發現震驚了～ the discovery shocked the whole country ②capital inhabitant

26. 國色〈lit〉 ①national beauty [woman famous nationwide for her beauty] ②〈fig〉 peony

27. 國士〈lit〉 ①outstanding person of the nation ②bravest and strongest person of the nation

28. 國勢 ①national strength：～強盛/衰落the country is powerful/declining ②unfolding of state affairs ③〈lit〉 geographical features of a country; national geography

29. 國是〈lit〉 national policy：共商～ discuss the national policy together

30. 國手 ①player on a national team：乒乓球～ a table-tennis player from the national team ②national champion， grand master [in chess， etc]

31. 國書 ①credentials （of diplomat）：遞交～ present one’s credentials ②state correspondence

32. 國威national prestige：振～ boost national prestige

33. 國文 ①national language ②national language and literature [as school subject] ③〈old〉 Chinese [as the national language of China]

34. 國學 ①Chinese cultural studies; sinology：～熱the sinology boom ②national studies [study of ancient philosophy， history， literature， etc] ③[Hist] imperial college

35. 國優nation’s finest （product， achievement， etc）

36. 國運national destiny; fate of the nation：～昌隆the nation has a flourishing future

37. 國債 ①national debt ②national or government bond：發行～ issue national bonds

三、與“國”有關的三字表達法

1. 國標碼GB code

2. 國產片domestically produced film

3. 國產化to localize （of foreign manufactures）：～率the localization rate

4. 國防生defence cadet [college student sponsored by the armed forces]

5. 國會山Capitol Hill [in Washington， DC]

6. 國際歌（the） Internationale：奏～ play the Internationale

7. 國際化to internationalize：～大都市an international metropolis

8. 國民性national character

9. 國內游domestic tourism：～線路a domestic tourist route

10. 國企股stock of a state-owned enterprise

11. 國事犯〈old〉 political offender or prisoner

12. 國務卿Secretary of State [US]

13. 國務院 ①State Council [China] ②State Department [US]

14. 國信使[Hist] diplomatic envoy [during the Song and Yuan dynasties]

15. 國有化 ①to nationalize：～企業a nationalized enterprise ②nationalization

16. 國資行state-owned bank

17. 國子監imperial academy [built in 1287 in Beijing and was the highest ranking academic body in China until its closing in the Qing Dynasty]

四、與“國”有關的四字表達法

1. 國步艱難〈idiom〉 the nation is beset with troubles; the country is in great difficulty

2. 國而忘家〈idiom〉 to forget family affairs for the sake of the nation

3. 國富民豐also 國富民康，國富民殷 〈idiom〉 the country is prosperous and the people are well off

4. 國富民強〈idiom〉 the country is prosperous and the people are powerful

5. 國會議員member of national assembly; congressman [US]; member of parliament [England]

6. 國計民生〈idiom〉 national economy and people’s livelihood

7. 國際玩笑 （international joke） big joke; absurd behaviour; ridiculous action：開～ tell a world-famous joke

8. 國際舞臺international scene; world stage：在～上的地位a country’s status in the international arena

9. 國家元首head of state

10. 國破家亡〈idiom〉 country defeated and family ruined

11. 國情咨文State of the Union Message [delivered by the US president]

12. 國色天香〈idiom〉 （national beauty and heavenly fragrance） ①peony ②feminine beauty

13. 國色天姿〈idiom〉 （national beauty and natural endowments） exceptional beauty

14. 國士無雙〈idiom〉 peerless or unique talent of the nation

15. 國事訪問state visit：對法國進行～ pay a state visit to France

16. 國泰民安〈idiom〉 the country flourishes and the people live in peace

17. 國土安全homeland security

18. 國土無雙〈idiom〉 unequalled nationwide

19. 國之干城〈idiom〉 （nation’s shields and city walls） heroic defenders of the nation

五、與“國”有關的五字以上的表達法

1. 國不可一日無君〈idiom〉 a nation cannot afford even one day without its ruler

2. 國際大家庭family of nations

3. 國家興亡，匹夫有責〈idiom〉 every man alive has a duty to his country; all men share a common responsibility for the fate of their country

4. 國亂出忠臣〈idiom〉 when the country is in turmoil， loyal court officials will show up

5. 國民生產總值Gross National Product; GNP

6. 國內革命戰爭revolutionary civil war

7. 國內生產總值Gross Domestic Product; GDP

8. 國以民為本，民以食為天〈idiom〉 a country depends on its people as its base， just as the people depend on food for survival

9. 國有國法，家有家規〈familiar〉 a country has its laws， and a family its rules

10. 家有常業雖饑不餓，國有常法雖危不亡〈familiar〉? just as a family with an established profession won’t go hungry in time of famine， a country ruled constantly by law won’t be conquered in time of danger

11. 一國不容二主〈idiom〉 one country does not permit two rulers

的確，漢語中與“國”有關的表達法實在是數不勝數，諸如“秉國之均”“國有班事”“開國乘家”“山國用虎節”等表達法的英文翻譯，更待我們共同探索。

1肖福壽，南京大學博士，哈佛大學訪問學者，現為上海大學教授、博士生導師，主要從事英語語塊學、英語寫作學以及詞典編纂研究。