A Semantic-Contrastive Study of the Chinese Verb Kai and the Korean Verb Yeolda

Based on corpus analysis and meaning chain theory, this paper conducted a contrastive study on the basic verbs of Chinese "Kai" and Korean "Yeolda". The study found that under their basic meanings, the noun constituents collocated with the verbs "Kai" and "Yeolda" share the common semantic features of [+closed] or [+restrictive]. Additionally, compared to Korean "Yeolda", Chinese "Kai" places greater emphasis on the result of the action, while "Yeolda" emphasizes both the manner in which the action is conducted and the result of the action. Overall, Chinese "Kai" is semantically more versatile, flexible, and inclusive, indicating a greater degree of semantic transferability and acceptance among native Chinese speakers compared to Korean "Yeolda".