English-Chinese Dictionary (Volume 1)

Author: Lu Gusu, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publishing Date: August 1, 1989
Features: The English-Chinese Dictionary (hereinafter referred to as The Dictionary) was developed through the arduous efforts of over a hundred scholars over a decade. It is the largest bilingual English-Chinese dictionary within the framework of the National Plan for the Compilation and Publication of Bilingual Language Dictionaries in China (1975) and one of the key projects under the Seventh Five-Year Plan (1986-1990) for philosophy and social sciences. The dictionary comprises two volumes, contains 200,000 entries, includes 14 appendices, and totals approximately 20 million words.
Guided by the principle of independent compilation (rather than translation), The Dictionary built its own hand-collected corpus of language materials, drawing on the strengths of over 100 English dictionaries and other reference works from the UK and the US (see the main reference for details). It selectively utilizes the cultural heritage accumulated by predecessors, reflecting the achievements and standards of English corpus construction and academic research in China.
Following the international trend of objective description in lexicography since the 1960s, The Dictionary emphasizes objective description in terms of word selection, definitions, example sentences, and etymological explanations, focusing on the actual usage of various types of English in different styles and contexts. It faithfully records the evolution of word meanings and forms over time, avoiding subjective judgments about their superiority or inferiority.
In addition to lexical entries, The Dictionary pays attention to the inclusion of proper nouns such as names of people, places, and organizations, as well as historical events, myths and legends, religious schools, cultural communities, customs, entertainment genres, technical fields, product trademarks, and specialized terms in natural and social sciences. It strives to incorporate as much encyclopedic information as possible, ensuring practicality across various levels while enhancing the stability and of the content. In other words, it aims to maintain academic rigor, practicality, knowledge, stability, and, ensuring that changes in personnel and circumstances do not affect the dictionary’s effective lifespan, and that scholarly rigidity does not stifle readers’ lively curiosity for knowledge.
In short, The Dictionary was compiled by scholars from multiple universities and cultural institutions, including Fudan University, Shanghai International Studies University, Shanghai Translation Publishing House, Shanghai Normal University, East China Normal University, East China Institute of Chemical Technology, Tongji University, and Shanghai Education Institute. They collaborated with dedication and meticulous effort. We fully recognize that the compilation of bilingual dictionaries is a fundamental cultural undertaking, reflecting a nation’s cultural strength and cannot be taken lightly. We also understand the immutable objective laws of lexicography: the Oxford English Dictionary, a 12-volume work, took over 70 years from conception to completion, even in the computer age; its supplement alone took 29 years to finish. Meanwhile, the Second Edition of the Oxford English Dictionary (20 volumes), compiled collaboratively by scholars from the UK, the US, and Canada with the help of computers, was published only 61 years after the first edition appeared in spring 1989. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary in the US, since its first edition in 1828 by Noah Webster, has taken over a century and a half to produce only three editions. These examples demonstrate that independent compilation involving extensive research and integration of diverse materials is inherently complex, requires significant intellectual investment, and has a long duration—it cannot be rushed.
With this understanding, we can only work diligently, refine our efforts repeatedly, and strive to produce a lasting cultural legacy through the dedication of scholars.