Abstract:

Currently, some institutions of higher education in China have set up their “xuebu” and placed them on the same level as their second-tier “xueyuan”, under which third-tier academic units are established. Therefore, how to render “xuebu”, second-tier “xueyuan” and third-tier “xueyuan” is well worth consideration, as there are quite a number of English equivalents for “xueyuan” in Chinese, the most frequently used ones being college, institute, school, academy, seminary, conservatory, faculty and division. This paper compares and analyzes the English words that may function as “xueyuan” in Chinese, for the purpose to reveal their minute differences by citing the second-tier and third-tier academic units of such institutions of higher education institute such as Oxford University, Chicago University and the University College London as well as how to render “xueyuan” in Chinese into English.

Key words: equivalents for “xueyuan” in Chinese, translation, comparison, implication