Japanese Language Stack Exchange
Japanese Language Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [dictionary]

辞書. Questions regarding those resources, paper or digital, which typically list many words of a language in a specified order, along with usually a definitions or a close equivalent in another language. Many other specialized types of dictionary also exist.

Questions regarding those resources, paper or digital, which typically list many words of a language in a specified order, along with usually a definitions or a close equivalent in another language. Many other specialized types of dictionary also exist.

This should be distinct from the "dictionary form" of a verb.

98 questions
17
votes
2 answers

How would I know whether a word existed and was commonly used N years ago?

Suppose I'm writing a novel that takes place N years ago, say N = 80. Given the dramatic increase of loanwords in the past century, especially from English, what would be the best way (if there is any) to know whether a word existed at all and how…
Tommy
  • 7,796
  • 16
  • 38
15
votes
1 answer

Some Japanese dictionaries (e.g. 大辞林, 大辞泉, and 明鏡国語辞典) use this inverted triangle outline symbol (▽) for some kanji compounds. What does it mean?

It doesn't apply to all the words, just some. Here are examples of words from that are marked with that symbol 悪い　(with reading にくい): 大辞泉; 大辞林 面倒くさい　(with reading めんどくさい): 大辞泉; 大辞林 皆 (with reading みんな): 大辞泉; 大辞林 判る・解る (with reading わかる):…
3 to 5 business days
  • 942
  • 10
  • 26
15
votes
2 answers

Nuances between the different kanji spellings of あける：明ける vs. 開ける vs. 空ける

開ける, 明ける and 空ける are all read as あける. From their kanji, it is obvious that 開ける has to do more with opening (a door etc), 明ける with dawning and 空ける with emptying... However, JMDict gives the exact same senses for all three of them (in fact, lists them…
Dave
  • 8,959
  • 4
  • 37
  • 72
12
votes
6 answers

Japanese dictionary for mathematics/computer science jargon

I study mathematics and computer science, and I'm starting to learn japanese. Could you suggest me dictionaries/sites/etc where I could learn terminology on these subjects?
Vicfred
  • 535
  • 2
  • 9
  • 15
10
votes
1 answer

What does exactly does さま mean in dictionary definitions?

I've been using Japanese-Japanese dictionaries for a while now and this keeps popping up. It seems to me like a kind of usage that is found for the most part only in dictionaries. Can anyone help explain what exactly さま means in the dictionary…
zzz
  • 101
  • 3
10
votes
2 answers

Written resources for scientific and philosophic japanese?

In this Question about computer science jargon, most answers to date are electronic resources and that makes sense. But I would like to know if there are printed japanese/english or japanese/german dictionary which gives careful consideration to…
ogerard
  • 1,077
  • 10
  • 23
9
votes
2 answers

What would be the closest native Japanese word to エラー in the context of IT?

Is there a Japanese word alternative to エラー that can be used in the context of IT? If not, what would be the closest? 間違い、誤り、過ち... would any of this work or what would be the most suitable in this case?
Tommy
  • 7,796
  • 16
  • 38
9
votes
1 answer

Difference between 誤解 and 勘違い

Japanese - English dictionaries translate both as "misunderstanding" or "wrong guess." Upon consulting dictionary.goo.ne.jp, I found: 誤解 - When the facts and the true intentions of a partner's words and deeds are shown to differ. Seems like when a…
Coupon22
  • 708
  • 6
  • 16
9
votes
4 answers

What should I look for in a dictionary to help me study?

As per the title, what should I look for in a dictionary to help me study Japanese? Are there certain things that I should look for in the dictionary or are they all pretty much the same? To elaborate a bit, what should one be looking for when they…
user51
9
votes
4 answers

Is there an online list of frequently used words in the news?

There are a few books with lists of words and kanji compounds found in the news. Like this one, this one, and this one. However, unless one wants to spend a lot of time doing data entry, they don't lend themselves well to modern flashcard programs,…
Questioner
  • 24,464
  • 14
  • 93
  • 225
8
votes
1 answer

What is the thing written in grey that sometimes shows up in the macOS Sierra dictionary app?

In the macOS Sierra dictionary app, sometimes when I look up a word, there is sometimes this thing that's in grey written on the right of the word that I searched. For example, 管理人: The thing written in grey is くわんー. What does this mean? Other…
Sweeper
  • 2,872
  • 1
  • 14
  • 33
8
votes
8 answers

I am looking for an online Japanese dictionary with audio pronunciations

Does anyone know any online Japanese dictionary which provides audio reading?
Steven
  • 439
  • 1
  • 4
  • 6
7
votes
1 answer

What does やや書 indicate?

What does the "marker" (?) やや書 used in Japanese-English dictionaries indicate? In addition how would you pronounce the phrase when citing someone a definition from a dictionary? やや書{しょ}? やや書{かき}? I cannot pinpoint any pattern in below examples and I…
macraf
  • 6,487
  • 6
  • 21
  • 48
6
votes
1 answer

また usage in a dictionary

When I look up the Japanese definition (at dictionary.goo.ne.jp) of the word 好き嫌い, this is the definition that gets shown: 好きなことと、嫌いなこと。また、えりごのみ。 I can't figure out if 好きなことと、嫌いなこと。is a separate definition than また、えりごのみ。or if they make up the…
C.Scheeres
  • 145
  • 7
6
votes
2 answers

Meaning and translation of "プラスアルファ”

A friend asked me to translate into English a short text. The context is Tokyo being a global city where people gather and experience a variety of lifestyles and values (価値観), and where art, culture, beauty, etc are combined together. I came across…
Tommy
  • 7,796
  • 16
  • 38
1
2 3 4 5 6 7