Book

Oxford Chinese Dictionary

by Oxford Languages

📖 Overview

The Oxford Chinese Dictionary contains over 300,000 words and phrases, making it one of the most comprehensive Chinese-English dictionaries available. This bidirectional reference work includes both simplified and traditional Chinese characters alongside Pinyin romanization. The dictionary features example sentences showing words in context, along with detailed grammatical information and usage notes. Its coverage spans contemporary and classical Chinese, with entries for idioms, proper names, and specialized terminology from fields like technology and medicine. Technical innovations include a radical index system and character stroke order diagrams to aid in looking up unfamiliar characters. The work represents a collaboration between Oxford Languages and the Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press in Beijing. The dictionary stands as a bridge between Chinese and English, reflecting the complex interplay between these major world languages in the modern era. Its scope and academic rigor make it a key resource for serious language learners and professional translators.

👀 Reviews

Readers value this dictionary's comprehensive coverage, with over 300,000 words and phrases. Several users note the clear layout and pinyin pronunciation guides throughout. Likes: - Both simplified and traditional characters shown - Example sentences provide context - Cross-referencing between related terms - Coverage of modern/technical vocabulary Dislikes: - Physical size makes it impractical for travel - Some entries lack detailed usage notes - Paper quality could be better - pages tear easily - Price point higher than competitors Ratings: Amazon: 4.5/5 (83 reviews) Goodreads: 4.3/5 (47 reviews) A frequent comment from students mentions the dictionary's usefulness for academic writing. One reviewer notes: "The combinations section under each main entry helps with natural word pairings." Multiple users point out that the electronic version would benefit from a search function upgrade. Several teachers recommend it for advanced learners but suggest smaller dictionaries for beginners due to its complexity.

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ABC Chinese-English Dictionary by DeFrancis, John The dictionary follows a character-based alphabetical system that links characters to their phonetic elements for streamlined lookup.

Far East Chinese-English Dictionary by Liang Shiqiu This reference work contains business terms, idioms, scientific vocabulary, and geographical names with both traditional and simplified characters.

A Chinese-English Dictionary by Wu Guanghua The dictionary includes contemporary usage examples, technical terminology, and proper nouns with Pinyin romanization for each entry.

Tuttle Learner's Chinese-English Dictionary by Li Dong The entries follow a radical-based system with stroke count indices and cross-references between simplified and traditional characters.

🤔 Interesting facts

🈯 First published in 2010, this dictionary contains over 300,000 words and phrases, making it one of the most comprehensive Chinese-English dictionaries available. 🈯 The dictionary features both simplified and traditional Chinese characters side by side, allowing users to become familiar with both writing systems simultaneously. 🈯 It was developed through a groundbreaking collaboration between Oxford University Press and the Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press in Beijing, combining Western and Chinese lexicographical expertise. 🈯 The dictionary includes specialized vocabulary from 100 subject areas, including technology, medicine, and law, reflecting modern usage in both Chinese and English. 🈯 Special boxes throughout the dictionary highlight cultural differences in word usage between Chinese and English speakers, helping users avoid common translation pitfalls and cultural misunderstandings.