【正文】 realistic definition of functional equivalence could be stated as “the readers of a translated text should be able to prehend it to the point that they can conceive of how the original readers of the text must have understood and appreciate it” (1993:118). In addition, a maximal, ideal definition could be stated as “the readers of a translated text should be able to understand and appreciate it in essentially the same manner as the original readers did” (1993:118). However, this maximal level of equivalence is rarely achieved in practice. In fact the idea “equivalence” is approached on the basis of degrees of closeness from minimal to maximal effectiveness. To put it more specific, a minimal adequacy of translation is that the target readers can conceive of how the source readers must have understood and appreciated the source text。 a maximal adequacy of translation might be that the target readers can understand and appreciate the translated text in essentially the same manner as the source readers understand and appreciate the source text. Nida suggests that when literal translation fails to attain satisfactory equivalence, adjustments in form are necessary (1993:125). Furthermore, in order to produce functionally equivalent translation, he proposes “the great the differences in the source and target cultures, the greater the need for adjustments。 the greater the differences between the source and target languages, the greater the need for adjustments” (1993:129). Consideration of Factors in Brand Name Translation Consumer Psychology Consumer psychology in a narrow sense refers to the mental state of a consumer and in a broad sense。 it means the science of consumer psychology. It can be defined as “the mental or psychological activities of consumers in their realization, adjustment, and control of purchasing and consuming actions according to their own needs and abilities under the influence of the general social environment of consumption and economy”.(Gu Wenjun, 2002: 7) The majority of consumers are the intended reactors of marketing activities. Brand name translation, an indispensable procurer of such activities, is consumeroriented. Consumers in the target market play the roles as the reader, the addressee, and eventually the reactor of a translated brand name. And the translator of a brand name can be regarded as a targetmarket brand name producer expressing a sourcemarket brand name producer’s intentions. Information about the targettext addressee is of crucial importance for the translator of the brand name, and the goal of sales promotion is to stimulate immediate consumer purchasing. Therefore, the translator should enable a brand name to attract the attention, to arouse the curiosity and interest of the consumers, to satisfy their psychological needs and further stimulate their motives to purchase the particular modity. Cultural FactorsCulture has its certain underlying characteristics which can be associated with brand names. Culture exists to satisfy the needs of the people within a society. It offers order, direction and guidance in all phases of human problem solving by providing “triedandtrue” methods of satisfying physiological, personal, and social needs.（Jiang Lei，2003） For example, culture provides standards and “rules” about when to eat, where to eat, and what is appropriate to eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks, and what to present your parent and the aged. Softdrink panies would suggest that the consumers should choose their products containing more vitamins and minerals since health is the first priority in modern society. In china, we used to have porridge or soy bean milk for breakfast. So, the manufacturer would produce the household mixer whose slogan might be “soy bean milk is your best choice”.Besides pany image strategies, many wellknown brands spotlight their cultural connotation. They emphasize what they sell is not a product, but a certain culture, a national spirit. In this regard, “Haier” means aiming higher and being sincere. So, cultural meaning can move from the culturally constituted world to consumer goods and from there to the individual consumer by means of various consumptionrelated vehicles, including brand names of course.Since culture is considered as the totality of beliefs and practices of a society, nothing is more important and effective than language through which the beliefs are expressed and transmitted and by which the cultures are conveyed and transferred. It is believed that where there is language, there is culture hidden behind. Language is a kind of institutional culture in some sense. It is not grasped by individuals but shared by a certain society. It is influenced by certain culture and in turn mirrors the culture. Brand names, as part of language, are of no exception. They are influenced by culture and in turn reflect culture. Therefore, culture has its underlying characteristics which can be associated with brand names. Aesthetic FactorsAs has been discussed in the first chapter, brand names possess the aesthetic function. In the process of translation, it is vital to reproduce the original aesthetic features of the brand names to the addressees. Brand name translation is demanded to be practical and aesthetic and translators will not only have to reserve the essence of the original brand name but also conform to the aesthetic psychology of consumers. Xu Yuanchong (2006:73) argues that translation is an art to transfer one language into another. His theory regarding to aesthetics in poetry translation goes like this: “beauty in sound, beauty in form and beauty in image”. Consequently, aesthetic factors should be taken into great account in the translation of brand names. Application of Functional Equivalence in Brand Name TranslationAs Nida’s functional equivalence the equivalent function indicates, an effective translation version should be able to produc