National and cultural concepts in Chinese mid-autumn festival (中秋节) greetings and their translation into Uzbek

Abstract

This article examines national and cultural concepts expressed in greetings for the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋节) and the specific challenges of translating them into Uzbek. The study aims to identify the semantic and pragmatic functions of the moon, completeness, family reunion, longing, and prosperity in festive discourse. Its material consists of representative expressions, including 中秋快乐, 阖家团圆, 花好月圆, 月圆人圆, and 千里共婵娟. Descriptive semantic, linguocultural, contextual, and comparative translation methods are employed. Literal meanings, symbolic associations, and the naturalness of proposed Uzbek greetings are compared. The analysis indicates that the moon symbolizes family togetherness, remembrance of distant relatives, and a fulfilled life. In Uzbek, related meanings are commonly expressed through wishes for harmony, reunion, blessings, and happiness. Functional equivalents are therefore suitable for conventional greetings, whereas culturally marked expressions may require image preservation or semantic expansion. Poetic and intertextual formulas often benefit from concise explanation. The findings offer practical guidance for translators and language learners working with Uzbek translations.