21st Century English-Chinese Dictionary

Author: Li Huaju
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-02-01
Features: This dictionary is one of the largest, most comprehensive, and most up-to-date single-volume bilingual English-Chinese reference books published in the new century. The 21st Century Great English-Chinese Dictionary is a cross-century project completed by over 20 experts and scholars under the organization of the China Renmin University Press. Editor-in-Chief Li Huaju is a renowned lexicographer and senior editor at the Commercial Press. The Great English-Chinese Dictionary he edited was published by the Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press in 1992 and has remained a bestseller to this day. The newly published 21st Century Great English-Chinese Dictionary is an even more labor of love by Li Huaju and the other 20+ experts. This dictionary aims to meet the needs of teachers, students, scholars, professional writers, translators, scientific workers, foreign affairs workers, English vocabulary enthusiasts, and a broad readership with high English proficiency. It provides users with accurate and extensive knowledge and data in areas such as English spelling, pronunciation, part of speech, genre, register, subject tags, definitions, corresponding Chinese terms, examples, usage, synonyms, antonyms, idioms, subentries, and etymological dates. It delivers up-to-date and reliable encyclopedic information provided by experts and scholars from various fields, making it a reference book for modern English users.
The outstanding features of this dictionary are:
1. Large Volume
This dictionary is currently the largest English-Chinese dictionary in China, with over 16 million words and more than 2,400 pages. It is a comprehensive, bilingual reference book that combines language and encyclopedic knowledge, focusing on both understanding and usage. As the largest single-volume English-Chinese dictionary published in the new century, it is characterized by its extensive word coverage and detailed definitions. Entries are rich in meaning, with relatively accurate translations and explanations. For polysemous words, the most common meanings or senses, contemporary or general, are listed first, followed by less common meanings, then social science and natural science terms, and finally colloquialisms, archaisms, obsoletisms, rare words, slang, dialects, and loanwords, with supplementary notes on grammar, usage, and collocations. Definitions are labeled with usage tags indicating register, domain, language, and subject or encyclopedic tags. Explanatory examples are provided as needed, with one or two examples for each sense of verbs, phrasal verbs, prepositions, conjunctions, definite and indefinite articles, to clarify meanings, distinguish between multiple definitions, indicate usage levels or specific connotations, and provide additional information. The rich examples make the dictionary function like a usage dictionary. Synonyms or antonyms are listed within relevant entries. The etymological dates of major terms or senses are noted at the end of entries or subentries, indicating the earliest time they entered the language, helping readers understand the evolution of English vocabulary.
2. Comprehensive Word Coverage
The dictionary includes approximately 400,000 English words and phrases, covering language and linguistics, social sciences, natural sciences, engineering and technology, encyclopedic terms, and proper nouns. It includes general English words, basic words, common words, phrasal verbs, idioms, compound words, common slang, colloquialisms, dialects, loanwords, abbreviations, affixes, and combinatorial morphemes. It also includes important world names, geographical names, proper nouns from the Bible, figures from mythology, legends, folklore, major works in literature, art, music, and film, historical events, names of people and places associated with historical events, and names of academic, government, social, and United Nations organizations. The word coverage primarily focuses on English terms from the UK, the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and other English-speaking countries. Notably, the dictionary includes over 50,000 idioms and collocations, such as phrasal verbs, noun phrases, and prepositional phrases, providing convenience for English learners and users. Phrasal verbs, which are idiomatic combinations of verbs with adverbs or prepositions, often pose difficulties for Chinese learners of English due to their meanings and usage. This dictionary dedicates space to their various senses with usage explanations and bilingual examples.
3. Up-to-Date Content
To adapt to the new realities of economic globalization and China's entry into the WTO, the dictionary focuses on the forefront of world cultural development, emphasizing the inclusion of new English words that have become international lingua francas. It includes tens of thousands of new words, senses, idioms, collocations, and usages that emerged in the second half of the 20th century, as well as the latest words up to the early 21st century. The dictionary reflects the development of English in the second half of the 20th century, the evolution of vocabulary that has made English a leading world language today, and the latest research findings and information in all fields, including science and technology (especially high technology, particularly information technology, computing, and the internet), business, medicine, and the arts, giving the content a strong contemporary character.
The 21st Century Great English-Chinese Dictionary is currently the largest single-volume English-Chinese reference book, reflecting the new developments in English and society with its up-to-date and comprehensive content. It features a scientific and user-friendly structure, making it an indispensable tool for English researchers, users, and learners.
My motivation has always been to compile a large-scale English-Chinese dictionary that combines language and knowledge across disciplines to better meet the needs of readers. After ten years of arduous work by over 20 experts and scholars, the 21st Century Great English-Chinese Dictionary has finally been completed as a cross-century project.
The purpose of compiling this dictionary is to meet the needs of teachers, students, scholars, professional writers, translators, scientific workers, foreign affairs workers, English vocabulary enthusiasts, and a broad readership with high English proficiency. To achieve this, the dictionary provides users with accurate and extensive knowledge and data in areas such as English spelling, pronunciation, part of speech, inflection, genre, register, subject tags, definitions, corresponding Chinese terms, examples, usage, synonyms, antonyms, idioms, subentries, and etymological dates. It delivers up-to-date and reliable encyclopedic information carefully edited by scholars and experts from various fields, and provides the latest information and research findings in language, science and technology, art, and literature, making it a reference book for modern English users.
The ten outstanding features of the dictionary are:
1. Comprehensive and Extensive
The dictionary contains 16 million words and 2,450 pages. It is a comprehensive, bilingual reference book that combines language and encyclopedic knowledge, focusing on both understanding and usage. As the largest single-volume English-Chinese dictionary published in the new century, it is characterized by its large volume, comprehensive word coverage, and up-to-date content.
2. Wide Word Coverage
The dictionary includes approximately 400,000 English words and phrases, covering language and linguistics, social sciences, natural sciences, engineering and technology, encyclopedic terms, and proper nouns. It includes general English words, basic words, common words, phrasal verbs, idioms, compound words, common slang, colloquialisms, dialects, loanwords, abbreviations, affixes, and combinatorial morphemes. It also includes important world names, geographical names, proper nouns from the Bible, figures from mythology, legends, folklore, major works in literature, art, music, and film, historical events, names of people and places associated with historical events, and names of academic, government, social, and United Nations organizations. The word coverage primarily focuses on English terms from the UK, the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and other English-speaking countries.
3. Broad Encyclopedic Knowledge
The dictionary includes specialized terms in politics, economics, trade, finance, culture, military, sports, history, geography, and product names, as well as encyclopedic terms from social sciences, natural sciences, and engineering and technology, with a particular emphasis on high-tech vocabulary.
4. Abundant Scientific and Technological Terms
With the advent of the 21st century, technological progress is advancing rapidly. The dictionary includes tens of thousands of scientific and technological terms, with a focus on high-tech terms at the forefront of science and technology, such as information technology (computers, the internet), new materials technology, new energy technology, biotechnology, aerospace technology, and marine development technology.
5. Numerous New Words
To adapt to the new realities of economic globalization and China's entry into the WTO, the dictionary focuses on the forefront of world cultural development, emphasizing the inclusion of new English words that have become international lingua francas. It includes tens of thousands of new words, senses, idioms, collocations, and usages that emerged in the second half of the 20th century, as well as the latest words up to the early 21st century. The dictionary reflects the development of English in the second half of the 20th century, the evolution of vocabulary that has made English a leading world language today, and the latest research findings and information in all fields, including science and technology (especially high technology, particularly information technology, computing, and the internet), business, medicine, and the arts, giving the content a strong contemporary character.
6. Detailed Definitions
The dictionary features rich entries with concise and clear definitions, relatively accurate translations, and explanations. For polysemous words, the most common meanings or senses, contemporary or general, are listed first, followed by less common meanings, then social science and natural science terms, and finally colloquialisms, archaisms, obsoletisms, rare words, slang, dialects, and loanwords. General terms are provided with only translations or corresponding Chinese terms.
7. Rich Idioms
The dictionary includes over 50,000 idioms and collocations, such as phrasal verbs, noun phrases, and prepositional phrases.
8. Abundant Examples
Explanatory examples are provided after the definitions as needed. The dictionary includes one or two examples for each sense of verbs, phrasal verbs, prepositions, conjunctions, definite and indefinite articles, with examples ranging from collocations and phrases to complete sentences.
9. Synonyms and Antonyms
The dictionary lists synonyms or antonyms within relevant entries. Although a group of synonyms may have similar or closely related meanings, they are not always interchangeable.
10. Etymological Dates
The dictionary notes the earliest time major terms or senses entered the language at the end of entries or subentries, helping readers understand the evolution of English vocabulary.