Linguocultural foundations of Russian and Chinese proverbs about husbands and wives

The subject of the study is the paremiological fund of the Russian and Chinese languages. The object of the research is proverbs as elements of the phraseological system that reflect the cultural and value attitudes of ethnic groups. The author examines such aspects of the topic in detail as the interpretation of proverbs in Russian and Chinese linguistic traditions. In Russian linguistics, paremiology is defined as stable, reproducible expressions with instructive content, which encapsulate folk wisdom, morality, and traditional views. In Chinese linguistics, proverbs are classified as part of phraseology and include forms such as (idiom, chengyu), (proverb, yanyu), (allegory, xiehouyu), (phraseological combination, guanyunyu), and (saying, suyuy). Special attention is given to the reflection of historical experience and the system of value dominants in Russian and Chinese proverbs. A linguistic and cultural analysis of proverbs related to the image of a husband and wife reveals their connection to patriarchal moral and ethical attitudes. Despite the emphasis on the dependent position of women, proverbs also capture the idea of mutual respect and agreement as essential values of family life. The description of the roles of husbands and wives in Russian and Chinese paremiology has an ambivalent nature. This article employs comparative, component analysis and linguistic and cultural commentary methods. The main conclusions of the conducted research are the identification of the fact that proverbs about husbands and wives in the Russian and Chinese paremiological fund reflect traditional patriarchal and androcentric notions of family roles. In both linguistic cultures, the importance of agreement and mutual respect between spouses is emphasized as the foundation of family well-being, despite the noted dependence of the wife on the husband. A unique contribution of the author to the research topic is the comparative analysis of proverbs from the two languages, allowing for the identification of common value orientations associated with family and drawing attention to the ambivalence of the images of husbands and wives, which reflects the multifaceted cultural perception of marital relations. The novelty of the research lies in the linguistic and cultural approach to the study of paremiology, revealing deep layers of national worldview, fixed in brief and metaphorical sayings. The author demonstrates that, despite cultural differences, both traditions convey important family values through proverbs, passed down from generation to generation.