Vocabulary acquisition MS Access Database

[Long Pan]

Although I am not sure it will help lot of people (you need MS Access + minimum knowledge of it to use this tool ) I put this database here. I’ve been using it for more than 3 weeks and it helps me a lot in my vocabulary acquisition process.

What is the idea of this database?

This database comes from 2 needs:

1. One thing which fascinates me in learning Chinese is going through this huge puzzle of 汉字. So when I learn a new word, I like to know about its hanzi which leads me to other words and so on... This is a nice little game but quite time consuming especially when your dictionary does not help you to sort the words by priority of use. One way to restrict my puzzle game was to use Roddy’s database on HSK standard vocabulary lists. Trouble is that this database is on-line while I mostly work off-line.
   
2. Then I have been working for a month on Podcasts with computerised Chinese transcriptions. Going through these texts I was doing vocabulary lists on MS Word with a “copy / paste” of sentences to keep as examples. But these lists were getting a bit difficult to manage.
   

From these 2 needs the idea was to make a database built around HKS vocabulary but which could be completed by definitions, examples and new words that I wanted to input. To make it a little bit more useful, I also added the most popular 250 Chengyu and illustrated all hanzi with pinyin, definition and frequency of use (from this on-line hanzi list – the one used by Patrick Zein's List for its 3000 most commonly used characters list).

What is NOT this database:

This is not a dictionary, nor any flash-cards tool : contrary to Roddy HSK database this database at start has no English-translation. This idea is to input your own examples taken from the texts you study, which is I believe an important part in the vocabulary acquisition process. I use the tool mostly for digital supports, so that I just have to copy paste the word and the sentence as examples.

How to use this database

1) First function: get from a 汉字 the list of the words where this 字 can be found (wherever its position). “Picture 1.jpg” in the attached zip file gives you screen picture taking “处” 字 as an example

• Top of the page you get the 汉字, its pinyin, definition and frequency of use.
  
• Then the list of all word with”处” inside (28 词 has indicated at the top right)
  
• Column 3 gives the HSK vocabulary list number for each word. If it’s blank it means that the 词 is in no HSK list
  
• Column 4 gives the “source” of the example / translation that you have input in column 5. This “source” is important because it helps to sort your vocabulary.
  
• Column 5 is originally blank. If not it means that you have input an example or a definition. In this example you can see 2 chengyu which come from the 250 Chengyu list and also the word(长处) with a translation that I input as an example
  
• Note that in this first rolling list (called 字) you should only input 汉字 (no pinyin and no multi-character词)
  

2) Second function: acquisition of vocabulary 词 (see "Picture2.jpg" with "长处" 词 as example )

• If the word is already in a HSK list, you just have to input the definition + example. Just note that as the database is built around 汉字, if your 词 has 2 汉字 you’ll have to copy your definition/example 2 times (3 if it is a 3 汉字 word) - with a “copy & paste” it is not that terrible to do.
  
• If your word is not in any HSK list, you then have to add it in the database; the process is the same but you also have to input the 汉字, 词 & pinyin (as many times as the number of 字 within the 词).
  

3) There is a possibility to get vocabulary lists by selecting the “source”.

• See "picture 3.jpg" with “Test saisie” selected, from which we get the 3 words I input as examples.
  
• A double click on the “source” rolling list open the “source” table where you can input new “sources”.
  
• I also included the possibility to extract all “sources” list on Excel (or Word).
  

To be honest, if you have no knowledge of Access then this database might be a bit difficult to use. I do not plan to make many major evolutions for now as the current version satisfies me and that my Access skills restrict me to do much more. But if you have any ideas or some questions, you are welcome. Or if you know any "词 lists" with definitions available (and in a quite "standard format") I could also add it.

database.zip

[Ding Yiyi]

Wow, from just a quick look through this file I'm in love! This is amazing, and must of taken you quite a while to get right (Access and I have some problems working together)!

I think this will be a GREAT help for anyone looking to improve their retention for the HSK, while being exposed to new words at the same time! Thanks a million Long Pan!

[haton]

Hello,

I find your database is a great work. Thanks for sharing it.

Would you give me permission to use it in order to enrich the database in my personal dictionary program?

(If you haven't had the chance to have a look at it, this dictionary, called Pablo, can be found at:

Cheers,

H.

[Long Pan]

Well that's good if you like it. I am personnally enjoying it more and more.

Haton, you can use this database if you want - there is no copyright (I am just adapting myself to the Chinese world ). Just try to share the results with us here ! Give us again the link to your website as we cannot get it from your previous post.

[haton]

Thanks!

The website where you can find Pablo is: ehaton.blogspot.com

[weiwuwei]

Great post! Very helpful!

I can't seem to get the http://www.chs.edu.sg/chinese/idiom250.htm site to view properly. I have tried changing the default encoding on my web browser to no avail. What encoding are you guys using to view that site?

[Shadowdh]

I used chinese simplified (GB2312) and it comes up fine...

Thanks for the db... will get into it more after exam on monday.... cheers

[Long Pan]

Here is a new version of the data base. I added:

1. English translation (from DimSum)
   
2. The 字 description from Patrick Hassel Zein
   
3. New queries
   

I in fact do not have much time to describe it now. As said previously this database needs some proficiency in Access. Maybe some will find some use from it. It personally helps me a lot. Due to limit restriction on the file size, I limited the classification of 汉字 to the first 3000. But you can find and add the classification of the first 10 000 here.

base 02.zip

[Long Pan]

Here are some screen copies (see attached xls file) which give more info about the new version.

字 statement :

• First rolling list, with “容” 字 taken as example. The “字 statement” gives all words containing 容 inside – see screen copy 1.
  
• At the top of this statement you get the 汉字 translation + classification of 汉字 (442)
  
• The 词 list mostly comes from HSK vocabulary lists which stand as the base of this database. Column 3 gives HSK level and column 4 the 词 translation which I got from DimSum
  
• Then comes the personalised part of the database – the real added value. Column 5 and 6 is reserved for you input (so picture 1 gives you an example of my database). For instance for “从容”, column 6 shows examples that I have input and column 5 gives the source where I encountered this word (桥梁 03 a book which I use). I really believe that indicating the source of the vocabulary is fundamental to anchor the new word in a context, which makes it more real, less theoretical, easier to remember.
  
• In case you encounter a word which is in no HSK lists (which happens quite often) then you’ll have to input it in the database. The procedure how to do this input is already described in the first post of this thread. For instant in the current example, 整容 and the chengyu 义不容辞 are absent from HSK lists - which you can guess because there is no indication in column 3 – so I had to input the 词 + pinyin.
  
• “Picture 1 bis” shows the same “字 statement” but for “辞”. You’ll find back 义不容辞 with the same information you had in the 容 “字 statement”.
  

List of 汉字

• In the 容 example, 4 词 are referenced in my database (从容，笑容，义不容辞，整容). I created queries to register and review all 汉字 encountered. For instance here the following 7 汉字 will be considered (容,从,笑,义,不,辞,整). Considering all the 词 I have input in the last 3 months, you’ll find on “picture 2”, “3”, “3 bis” the results of these queries taken from my database. Picture 1 is a query which only lists the 汉字 classified by frequency of use (with the total of 字 encountered at the top of the page). More useful, “picture 3” & “3 bis” show another query which lists the 汉字 encountered with their 词 + DimSum translation and source of vocabulary. On “picture 3 bis” you’ll find back the 容 list
  

List of 词 per source of vocabulary (picture 4)

• If in my database I select for instance “Pod 整容” (a reference which I gave to a text studied), then I’ll get the list of all the words referring to this text. Of course you’ll find “整容” with the same information we had on the容“字 statement”.
  

Last but not list, to fasten the input process I use my Pleco on my Palm. For instance during a Chinese lesson, I select all the 生词 on a flash card list. Then I export this list and copy paste it in the Access table called “Table export Pleco”. The queries “xPleco commun” “xPleco rejet 1/2” “x Pleco rejet 2/2” help me to input these 生词 + the personalised information (source + example).

screen copies.zip