Chinese idioms as constructions

Abstract Chinese Quadrisyllabic Idiomatic Expressions (henceforth QIEs) are highly productive in the modern language. They can be used to understand cognitive processing of structure and meaning during reading comprehension, as patterning [ qian-A-wan-B ] ‘1k-A-10k-B’ (e.g. one-thousand army ten-thousand horse). However, little is known about underlying mechanisms QIEs comprehension. Adopting framework Construction Grammar, present study, we aimed study convergence divergence between native speakers L2 learners idiomatic constructions. In twenty-three university-level Mandarin intermediate advanced levels Mandarin, all non Sinosphere, participated experiment, were instructed make a semantic congruency judgment presentation QIE. Our results showed that, for both learners, semantically transparent constructions elicited much shorter RTs than opaque behavioral also that processed low frequency faster high ones, implying satiation impede interpretation idioms. For it was transparency, rather frequency, played more prominent role idiom processing.