中国画的英文标准翻译通常为"Chinese Painting"或"Traditional Chinese Painting",具体语境下可采用以下专业术语表达:
1. 按技法分类:
- 工笔画:Gongbi Painting(精确细腻的风格)
- 写意画:Xieyi Painting(自由表达的意象风格)
- 水墨画:Ink Wash Painting / Shuimo Painting
2. 按题材分类:
- 山水画:Shan Shui Painting(字面义为"Mountain-Water")
- 花鸟画:Bird-and-Flower Painting
- 人物画:Figure Painting
- 界画:Architectural Painting(传统建筑绘画)
3. 专业术语延伸:
- 文人画:Literati Painting(宋代兴起的士大夫艺术)
- 院体画:Academic Style Painting(宫廷画院风格)
- 册页:Album Painting
- 手卷:Handscroll
- 立轴:Hanging Scroll
- 扇面:Fan Painting
4. 材料相关术语:
- 宣纸:Xuan Paper(源自安徽宣州的特殊纸张)
- 墨:Ink Stick / Chinese Ink
- 砚台:Inkstone
- 毛笔:Chinese Brush
5. 美学概念翻译:
- 气韵生动:Spirit Resonance(谢赫六法之首)
- 留白:Negative Space
- 笔墨:Brush and Ink(核心表现手段)
- 皴法:Texture Strokes(山水画技法)
学术领域有时会保留拼音术语并加注解释,如"Qi Baishi's Xieyi style"。大英博物馆等国际机构常用"Chinese Scroll Painting"强调装裱形式。现代水墨的翻译则可能用"Ink Art"或"Contemporary Ink"以示区分。