By investigating dictionaries and pertinent literature in China and overseas, this paper argues that zhao ( 沼 ) and ze ( 泽 / 澤 ) were introduced to Japan through China, while the combination of them zhaoze ( 沼泽 / 澤 ) was produced as a new word while translating the corresponding western concepts, after that this word was reintroduced to China. Different semantic performances of zhao ( 沼 ) and ze ( 泽 / 澤 ) as well as the related zhaoqi ( 沼 气 ) in Chinese and Japanese indicate different ways of localization in which different countries treat new words and new concepts, and new words enter one country’s language system in a way that suits the characteristics of the native language.
