Basic Japanese Learning Dictionary (Japanese-Chinese Contrast)

Author: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-03-01
Features: With the further deepening of international exchanges, language plays an increasingly important role as a means of communication. Japanese is no exception. In the past decade, the number of people learning Japanese domestically and internationally has been continuously increasing. However, the current situation is that there are hardly any user-friendly dictionaries with translations in the learners' native language for foreigners who want to start learning Japanese. As a result, many foreign learners often use dictionaries such as "Japanese-English Dictionary" or "Japanese-French Dictionary," which are compiled for Japanese learners of other languages as substitutes. Although these dictionaries are beneficial for intermediate and advanced learners with strong English or French proficiency, they seem unsuitable for beginners. This is because the Chinese characters in the example sentences are neither annotated with hiragana nor marked with Romanized phonetic transcriptions. Additionally, for learners whose native language is not English or other major languages, the lack of translations in their native language makes it difficult to understand.
With the further deepening of international exchanges, language plays an increasingly important role as a means of communication. Japanese is no exception. In the past decade, the number of people learning Japanese domestically and internationally has been continuously increasing. However, the current situation is that there are hardly any user-friendly dictionaries with translations in the learners' native language for foreigners who want to start learning Japanese. As a result, many foreign learners often use dictionaries such as "Japanese-English Dictionary" or "Japanese-French Dictionary," which are compiled for Japanese learners of other languages as substitutes. These dictionaries are beneficial for intermediate and advanced learners with strong English or French proficiency, but they seem unsuitable for beginners. This is because the Chinese characters in the example sentences are neither annotated with hiragana nor marked with Romanized phonetic transcriptions. Moreover, for learners whose native language is not English or other major languages, the lack of translations in their native language makes it difficult to understand.
The International Exchange Foundation, recognizing the need to publish such user-friendly dictionaries in various languages for beginners learning Japanese, undertook the compilation of this "Basic Japanese Learner's Dictionary." Basic vocabulary is selected from daily-use words, and the meanings of each word are categorized. For each meaning, usage is illustrated through word examples and example sentences. At the same time, hiragana and Romanized phonetic transcriptions are also provided. Therefore, we are confident that even beginners can use this dictionary. Chinese translations are added after each example sentence for reference, which should be easily understandable for learners whose native language is Chinese.
While language learning should ideally transcend cultural differences to facilitate understanding, when translating, if there are no precise Japanese equivalents for certain meanings, we strive to find the closest approximations and, when necessary, add cultural explanations to aid comprehension. If this dictionary helps readers understand basic vocabulary more easily or assists them in practical conversations and writing through the study of word usage in example sentences, then it has fulfilled its purpose. If you have any comments or suggestions on this dictionary, we will take them into account during revisions.
1. This dictionary is compiled for the purpose of assisting foreigners in the relatively early stages of learning Japanese.
2. It contains a total of 2,873 entries, primarily focusing on words commonly used in the beginner level, which are widely adopted by various Japanese education institutions. The entries are compiled based on Japanese materials, vocabulary surveys, dictionaries, and in consultation with educators specializing in Japanese instruction...