The Frame of Western Learning and the Systematicity of Chinese Translated Technical Terminology

Modern scientific terminology relies on univocity (clear meaning) and systematicity (organised structure). Strict definitions are key to distinguishing technical terms from everyday language. Yan Fu noted China’s tradition of mutual glossing but lack of definitions. Systematicity, as seen in Linnaeus’s eighteenth-century classification, organises growing knowledge. China and Japan adopted Western science differently: Chinese actors used new characters, while Japan focused on synthesis. The method employed in Japan proved more effective. This paper explores their linguistic approaches to developing scientific terminology, ensuring univocity and systematicity.