Questions tagged [dictionary]

Questions related to using sources that contain definitions, information or translations of words.

98 questions
5
votes
7 answers

GoldenDict Chinese-Chinese Dictionary?

I have an intermediate grasp of mandarin and would like a Chinese-Chinese dictionary. One where I input Chinese characters and it returns me a Chinese definition. I am using GoldenDict and have tried to find one like it with no luck. All I find is…
italianfoot
  • 151
  • 1
  • 3
5
votes
4 answers

Technical English-Chinese Dictionary

Do anyone know if it exists a professional English-Chinese and Chinese-English Technical Dictionary?
Kat
  • 51
  • 2
4
votes
3 answers

what are some dictionaries about vocabulary of classical chinese?

vocabulary of classical Chinese, explanatory glosses on their usage, example sentences, semantic difference of similar characters used in modern vernacular Chinese and classical and such alike features if possible.
eugene_laserhair
  • 649
  • 4
  • 10
4
votes
4 answers

How are Chinese-Chinese word dictionaries meant to be navigated?

Let's say I encounter the word 委婉 and I want to find out what it means. When I look it up in the Cross-Straits dictionary (perhaps the largest free and professionally edited dictionary out there), I run into circular definitions. 委婉 is defined…
timseb
  • 553
  • 1
  • 9
4
votes
3 answers

Refreshing and bubbly

What would be the english equivalent of bubbly and refreshing to describe something like a soft drink? What other words could be used to describe aspects of a soft drink, like the fizz and pop?
3
votes
1 answer

Dictionary for traditional characters

I want to start learning traditional characters, but I don't know any good dictionaries that shows the strokes and maybe the meaning of each particular character. Can you recommend a good dictionary? (I know that PLECO shows traditional characters…
Caro
  • 55
  • 3
3
votes
2 answers

What are some good dictionaries about Mathematics?

I have found a dictionary about Mathematics; however, it goes from Chinese to English. I have tried different bookstores in my city, but they don't have an English to Chinese dictionary. I have looked on 淘宝, but I'd like to find something of…
MaoYiyi
  • 509
  • 1
  • 3
  • 11
2
votes
3 answers

书 (literary register) in dictionaries

Note: this topic is talking about the usage of register of Chinese-English dictionary Previous topic: https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/48364/what-is-the-different-between-文言-and-书面 In the explanation of literary Chinese here in…
2
votes
1 answer

What does // mean in Pleco's description of pronunciation?

Consider the following picture: What does // mean here? I couldn't see it for example in shou4dao4, so it's not always there.
d33tah
  • 555
  • 3
  • 14
2
votes
3 answers

What do you do when the dictionary doesn't give you a meaning that fits your sentence?

For example, in a dialogue about global warming, this sentence fragment: 这个在中文就特别的直接... I would translate to, "In Chinese, this is especially relevant". But 直接 translates to immediate/straightforward in mdbg and other dictionaries. So…
Steve
  • 1,997
  • 1
  • 19
  • 27
2
votes
1 answer

How many of the definitions in dictionaries generally are really used?

Every dictionary like wiktionary has about 20 different definitions for each pictograph and about ten different meanings(combining reworded synonyms). Are they all recognizably used when or just a few?
2
votes
1 answer

韵/声 Dictionary Organization: Why?

I have a copy of《四川方言词语汇编》published in 1987. Unlike most modern dictionaries organized alphabetically (A-Z) by pinyin, this dictionary is organized: 黑白韵 挥堆韵 湖图韵 堤西韵 狮子韵 青城韵 开排韵 豪陶韵 空同韵 侯头韵 骆驼韵 二耳韵 八大韵 天先韵 堂廊韵 and each 韵 is then split…
Mou某
  • 35,955
  • 9
  • 53
  • 137
1
vote
2 answers

How to look up for characters not having any radicals in "Radical Lookup Method"

In "Radical Lookup method", it's well known that we first identify the radical of the character and then look it up according to the number of strokes and so on. This method works well for characters like 休 and 银 Because in these characters,…
Mohammad Talebi
  • 1,305
  • 3
  • 8
1
vote
1 answer

How are dictionaries of ideograms sorted?

Since Chinese. Japanese and Korean have no alphabetical writing system how do those people sort their dictionaries?
Demis
  • 111
  • 3
1
vote
1 answer

The Meaning of “~” in Definitions

The symbol “~” appears in many definitions. What does it mean? Examples: 2 纯;专:专~。~心~意。 https://www.zdic.net/hans/%E4%B8%80 1 头的前部,脸:脸~。颜~。~目。~~相觑。 https://www.zdic.net/hans/%E9%9D%A2 2 …
Xa1
  • 15
  • 4
1
2