Examples of Black Chromatic Metaphors in the Chinese Language
Does common Chinese language encourage anti-Black racism?
Grassroot, W. (2019). 商城里面的扫黑除恶宣传 2019. Own work. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%E5%95%86%E5%9F%8E%E9%87%8C%E9%9D%A2%E7%9A%84%E6%89%AB%E9%BB%91%E9%99%A4%E6%81%B6%E5%AE%A3%E4%BC%A0.jpg
There are some examples of black chromatic metaphors in the Chinese language, with spoken Cantonese in mind. The fact that there are no equivalents in other languages of the depth of this phenomenon should be troubling.
Crimes
掃黑除惡
Literally: sweep away the black and remove evil
Meaning: clear away organized crime and eliminate vice
幕後黑手
Literally: black hand behind the curtain
Meaning: the concealed villainous man (or woman) responsible of particular events
黑社會
Literally: black society
Meaning: gang of organized crime
黑惡勢力
Literally: black evil forces
Meaning: evil forces typically associated with gangs of organized crime
反黑組
Literally: anti-black group
Meaning: common name of the Hong Kong Organised Crime and Triad Bureau under the Hong Kong Police Force, refers to policing forces responsible against organized crime
黑錢
Literally: black money
Meaning: money laundering
Health
白白凈凈
Literally: White-white clean-clean
Meaning: clean
美白產品
Literally: White beauty products
Meaning: Skin whitening products
黑瞇擝/黑糊糊
Literally: black mess
Meaning: darkness or dirtiness
黑死病
Literally: black death disease
Meaning: bubonic plague