Far East Chinese-English Dictionary

The Far East Chinese-English Dictionary, compiled by Chinese scholar Liang Shiqiu, is a comprehensive reference work containing over 120,000 entries of Chinese characters, compounds, and phrases with English translations. First published in 1971, it represents decades of lexicographical work and remains in use today. The dictionary employs traditional Chinese characters and includes pronunciation guides in both Wade-Giles romanization and Chinese phonetic symbols (bopomofo). Each entry provides multiple English definitions along with example sentences demonstrating usage in context. The work stands as a bridge between Chinese and English languages during a critical period of increased cultural exchange in the mid-20th century. Its systematic organization and scholarly approach reflect Liang's background as both a Chinese literature professor and an accomplished English translator.

Readers find this dictionary reliable for traditional Chinese characters but note it lacks simplified characters used in mainland China. Students and professionals report it contains accurate definitions with clear usage examples. Likes: - Comprehensive entries for literary and classical Chinese - Includes pronunciation guide for characters - Good paper quality and binding durability - Detail on idioms and compounds Dislikes: - No simplified characters - Heavy weight makes it impractical for travel - Some entries considered outdated - Price higher than comparable dictionaries Online Ratings: Amazon: 4.3/5 (26 reviews) Goodreads: 4.1/5 (12 reviews) One reviewer noted "indispensable for reading pre-1950s Chinese texts" while another mentioned "definitions sometimes miss modern usage." Multiple reviewers highlighted its value for academic research but recommended electronic dictionaries for casual learners.

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🔎 First published in 1971, this dictionary contains over 8,000 Chinese characters and 100,000 compound words, making it one of the most comprehensive Chinese-English dictionaries of its time 📚 Author Liang Shiqiu was a renowned translator who completed the first Chinese translation of Shakespeare's complete works, a project that took him 30 years 🎓 The dictionary uses the Wade-Giles romanization system rather than Pinyin, reflecting its publication during a period when Wade-Giles was still the dominant system in Taiwan and among Western scholars ✍️ Liang Shiqiu developed the dictionary while teaching at Taiwan Normal University, incorporating both classical and modern Chinese terms to serve students and scholars 🌏 The dictionary gained special prominence among English-speaking learners of Chinese because it included extensive usage examples and literary references, unlike many contemporary dictionaries that simply listed definitions