Common misread, miswritten, and misused words dictionary

Author: Xu Zhengyuan, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publishing Time: Not Available
Features:
1. This dictionary contains a total of 1,700 entries.
2. The entries are arranged in alphabetical order according to the Pinyin system. For entries with identical pronunciation, the order is determined by the tone (yīnpíng, yángpíng, shàngshēng, qùshēng). For example: qīwǎn (melancholy), qíqiú (to beg), qǐshì (announcement), qìněi (discouraged).
3. If the first character of entries has the same pronunciation, the order is determined by the second character's pronunciation. For example: bùhán'érlì (to tremble with fear without cause), bùjiǎsīsuǒ (to act without hesitation), bùkělǐyù (to be beyond reason), bùmó'érhé (to agree without prior consultation).
4. If the first character's pronunciation and stroke count are identical, the order is determined by the number of strokes, with fewer strokes listed first. For example: jízhí (to act promptly), jípǔ (Jeep), jìbiàn (even if), jíkǔ (pain and suffering).
5. If the first character's pronunciation and stroke count are identical, the order is determined by the stroke order: , , , , ／. For example: bàoguāng (exposure), bànfā (outbreak); qíqiú (to beg); wěiwěnuò (to fawn), wéimiànwéixiào (exquisite and lifelike).
6. Each entry is first defined, followed by illustrative examples. The dictionary follows the principle of giving equal weight to the origin and usage of words, with ancient examples cited before modern ones. Generally, each entry includes two examples—one ancient and one modern—though some entries without ancient examples may cite two modern ones. If an entry has two or three meanings, additional examples are provided accordingly. Inconsistent usages in ancient examples that do not conform to current norms are retained as originally written.
7. If an entry contains obscure characters or multiple pronunciations, the pronunciation is noted before the definition. For example: [zhěnmì] (meticulous), "zhěn" is pronounced as zhen; [zhízhú] (hesitate), pronounced as zhizhu; [zhūjī] (pearls), "jī" is pronounced as ji; [zhèngjié] (crux), "zhèng" is pronounced as zheng; [zīyáliězuǐ] (show teeth in anger), "zī" is pronounced as Zi, etc.
8. If an entry has multiple meanings, they are numbered with ①②③④ for separate definitions. For example: [zhǐfǎ] ① the method and principles of finger movements when playing musical instruments; ② the technique of twisting needles in traditional Chinese medicine acupuncture. [zǎshé] ① to be speechless out of fear; ② to be speechless due to surprise, amazement, or admiration. [cànlàn] ① to describe brilliance; ② to describe magnificence and splendor; ③ to describe a glorious and prosperous career. [chénlún] ① to be trapped in a difficult situation; ② to descend into debauchery; ③ to be occupied; ④ to immerse oneself in a hobby or pursuit, etc. Other entries follow the same format.
9. The [correct examples] cited in this dictionary are primarily from classical works and renowned authors, while [incorrect examples] are drawn from over 100 domestic newspapers, magazines, books, radio stations, and television stations, showcasing misused, misspelled, or mispronounced words and phrases.
10. To distinguish between correct and incorrect usage, underlines are added to words and phrases in [incorrect examples] for clarity and emphasis. For example: "bānlán" cannot be written as "bānlàn"; "bàoyuàn" cannot be written as "bàoyuàn"; "bāobì" cannot be pronounced as "bāopì (pi)"; "bǐjiào" cannot be pronounced as "bǐjiǎo (jiǎo)," etc.