My Dream Dictionary: Does It Exist?

[m_k_e]

Hi

I'm looking for a dictionary with the following functionalities/properties:

1. No-frills UI

2. Ability to look up a character by any of its components. So, I would like to be able to enter either one of 木，目，相，心 to find 想.

3. Ability to break down a character into its component. When I enter 想, I would like to be presented with a tree structure like:

想

-->相

---->木

---->目

-->心

4. Example sentences with translation and Pinyin. Sort of like chinesepod does, but I would like to be able to see the translation/pinyin right below the Chinese sentence. Always having to hover over characters is annoying. I'd also like to be able to toggle display of Pinyin/translation.

5. Has a search history

6. Indicates word frequency for colloquial speech, rather than formal. Doesn't need to be extremely accurate. Approximate categories like on chinese-characters.org would do it.

None of the online dictionaries I've ever come across fulfilled all or even the majority of the above criteria. Have not tried any offline ones yet.

Thank you

mke

[chaxiu]

wenlin

www.wenlin.com

[westmeadboy]

I don't know if I would classify Wenlin as having a "No-frills UI"!

[m_k_e]

Thank you for your answers.

I see that Wenlin has neither an online nor a Unix version, which is a deal breaker for me. Plus, it seems to be pretty pricey. Actually, I would like to create a dictionary with all of the functionalities described in my OP. It appears that, nowadays, there is an abundance of free resources - anything from something as basic as character frequency lists to pretty sophisticated programs like adsotrans. All that needs to be done is to somehow pull these sources together in one place and make them easily accessible.

I've been working on a library that I'm only using on my machine so far. I would like to make it available online (for free), but I'm not sure if there's enough interest for something like this. My goal is to create something that is both feature-rich, but at the same time intuitive to use - though not necessarily easy. In my opinion, a steeper learning curve is justified if there is a corresponding increase in productivity. Also, the UI should not get in the way, and the app should be customizable.

I would also be willing to collaborate with someone else or contribute to an existing project with similar goals.

But again, maybe I really am the only one who is not satisfied with all the existing dictionaries.

Please let me know your thoughts.

mke

[roddy]

Re your number 3, have you looked at the character etymology tab on Yellowbridge. Eg, 想, and clicking through to 相. I'm not sure what the full range of Yellowbridge's functions are as you need to log in for some of them.

[tooironic]

I second Wenlin. There just isn't anything that compares to it (not that I've seen anyway). The UI is unique, true; but once you get used to it it's actually kind of genius. Much more efficient than any other dictionary program I've used. As for the "priceyness", I suppose you have to remember that it does actually cost that much to develop not only a quality dictionary but also a program that has that many functions (Wenlin has a huge amount of extra tools and features that you might not be aware of). Anyway, good luck with your search.

[querido]

I think the OP has something else in mind, but for the record, Wenlin runs perfectly for me under linux with wine.

[m_k_e]

I think the OP has something else in mind

Yes, I guess.

(Wenlin has a huge amount of extra tools and features that you might not be aware of).

Can you detail some of those? Which ones do you like the most? The ones that make it worth for you to spend that money?

Maybe, what I really want to do is to create a free Wenlin. How does that sound? I know that I can't match them in content, because I rely on free resources. But as regards functionality, I'm pretty sure I can make something comparable if not better.

Westmeadboy, I saw in another thread that you're working on a dictionary of your own. How is that going? Do you have a working version yet?

Below, I'm giving you an example session (note that the returned results are actually abbreviated in some cases). It might not look very exciting or anything, if only because the output is not always well-formatted. But that's easy to correct.

What I'm going to do next is to incorporate sentence annotation (thanks to adsotrans!).

regular lookup

irb(main):001:0> :想
=> 
想 (s36861)| 36.44 

0. xiang3  =>  /to think/to believe/to suppose/to wish/to want/to miss/

sample sentences

irb(main):002:0> my.examples
=> [
让我想一想。
Let me see.
, 
我很想吃饺子。
I feel like having some dumplings.
, 
我很想吃饺子。
I feel like having some dumplings.
, 
她一直想成名。
She has always been desirous of fame.
, 
我想预定一个房间。
I want to reserve a room.
, 
我只想说对不起。
I want to say nothing but sorry.
, 
我想买一个新床单。
I want to buy a new bed linen.
, 
没有人想碰到麻烦。
No one liked to have trouble.
, 
现代的人想法不同。
People today think differently.
, 
他想出了一个极好的主意。
He worked out an excellent idea.
, 
我们想去参加化装舞会。
We want to join in the masquerade.
, 
他洗澡时想出了这个主意。
The idea came to him in his bath.
, 

sample sentences narrowed down by hsk level

irb(main):003:0> my.examples :hsk_level => 3
=> [
我今晚不想念书。
I don't feel like studying tonight.
, 
他苦笑着回想她。
He thought of her with a rueful smile.
, 
她千方百计想离开。
She made every attempt to go.
, 
这会儿我不想出去散步。
I don't feel like a walk just now.
, 
这孩子一心想要这样东西。
The child has set his heart on it.
, 
设想有一所带大花园的房子.
Imagine a house with a big garden.
, 
我想我能来，但还说不定。
I think I can come, but don't rely on it.
, 
我总得想个办法完成任务。
I must fulfil my task by some means or other.
, 
我想要一只和你一样的照相机。
I want the same camera as you have.
, 
我想在十字路口下车可不准。
I wanted off at the cross road, but was refused.
, 
进一步细想后，她明白了自己的错误。
On further reflection she saw her mistake.
, 
姑不论胜负, 这场比赛想必十分精彩.
Win or lose, it should be a very good match.
, 
irb(main):004:0>
irb(main):004:0> my.examples :hsk_level => 5
=> []
irb(main):005:0> my.examples :hsk_level => 4
=> [
别想收买我。
Don't try to buy me off.
, 
她正想得出神。
She was in a brown study.
, 
我想预定一个房间。
I want to reserve a room.
, 
我想骑一骑那辆自行车。
I want to have a ride of that bike.
, 
她从小就想当演员.
She's wanted to go on the stage from an early age.
, 
我想用加急电报把它发出。
I want to have it send by an urgent telegram.
, 
我们把能想到的各种组合都试了一遍.
We tried it in every conceivable combination.
, 
我不敢去想她知道真相后会怎么样。
I dread to think what will happen if she finds out the truth.
, 
到了这里一个月以后，学生们开始想家了。
The students began to feel homesick after they had been here for a month.
, 
她这个人不好说话，我想她不会答应我们的。
She is a hard nut(to crack);I don't think she will give us permission.
, 
科学家正在设想一种新的利用太阳能的方法。
The scientist is thinking of a new way of tapping the solar energy.
, 
你要想看那场时装表演的话，就得早点儿定座位。
You'll have to book early if you want to see that fashion show.
, 

words/expressions that contain the specified character

irb(main):006:0> 
irb(main):006:0> :想
=> 
想 (s36861)| 36.44 

0. xiang3  =>  /to think/to believe/to suppose/to wish/to want/to miss/


irb(main):007:0> my.contained_in
=> [
不作此想 (s1648)| 0.00 

0. bu4 zuo4 ci3 xiang3  =>  /to have no intention or desire to do sth. (idiom)/

, 
不可想象 (s1818)| 0.00 

0. bu4 ke3 xiang3 xiang4  =>  /unimaginable (idiom)/

, 
不堪设想 (s1922)| 0.00 

0. bu4 kan1 she4 xiang3  =>  /too dreadful to contemplate (idiom)/

, 
不理想 (s2262)| 0.00 

0. bu4 li3 xiang3  =>  /not ideal/

, 
休想 (s6214)| 0.00 

0. xiu1 xiang3  =>  /don't think (that)/

, 
你是不是想找 (s6757)| 0.00 

0. ni3 shi4 bu4 shi4 xiang3 zhao3  =>  /Did you mean to search for...?/

, 
假想 (s8129)| 0.00 

0. jia3 xiang3  =>  /imaginary/virtual/

, 

component search

儒家思想 (s9151)| 0.00 
irb(main):008:0> my.parents
=> {}
irb(main):009:0> my.children
=> {
想 (s36861)| 36.44 

0. xiang3  =>  /to think/to believe/to suppose/to wish/to want/to miss/

=>{
相 (s67441)| 54.31 

0. xiang1  =>  /each other/one another/mutually/

1. xiang4  =>  /appearance/portrait/picture/

=>{
木 (s48319)| 75.02 

0. mu4  =>  /tree/wood/

=>nil, 
目 (s67218)| 64.88 

0. mu4  =>  /eye/item/section/list/catalogue/table of contents/order (taxonomy)/goal/name/title/

=>nil}, 
心 (s35059)| 36.98 

0. xin1  =>  /heart/mind/CL:顆|颗[ke1],個|个[ge4],顆|颗[ke1]/

=>nil}}
irb(main):010:0> :相
=> 
相 (s67441)| 54.31 

0. xiang1  =>  /each other/one another/mutually/

1. xiang4  =>  /appearance/portrait/picture/


irb(main):011:0> my.parents
=> {
相 (s67441)| 54.31 

0. xiang1  =>  /each other/one another/mutually/

1. xiang4  =>  /appearance/portrait/picture/

=>{
想 (s36861)| 36.44 

0. xiang3  =>  /to think/to believe/to suppose/to wish/to want/to miss/

=>nil, 
厢 (s33015)| 97.17 

0. xiang1  =>  /box (in theater)/side room/side/

=>nil, 
湘 (s58054)| 96.14 

0. xiang1  =>  /abbr. for Hunan 湖南 province in south central China/abbr. for Xiangjiang river in Hunan province/

=>nil, 
箱 (s72188)| 92.05 

0. xiang1  =>  /box/trunk/chest/

=>nil, 
缃 (s74700)| 99.93 

0. xiang1  =>  /light yellow color/

=>nil, 
葙 (s81913)| 100.00 

0. xiang1  =>  /see 青葙, feather cockscomb (Celosia argentea)/

Refer to radicals by English name

Radical::HEAD   Radical::HEART  
irb(main):002:0> Radical::HE
Radical::HEAD   Radical::HEART  Radical::HEMP   Radical::HERBS  
irb(main):002:0> Radical::HERBS
=> 鬯 | variants: 
irb(main):003:0> Radical::HEART
=> 心 | variants: 忄
irb(main):004:0> Radical::HEART.characters
=> [
想 (s36861)| 36.44 

0. xiang3  =>  /to think/to believe/to suppose/to wish/to want/to miss/

, 
情 (s36547)| 45.58 

0. qing2  =>  /feeling/emotion/passion/situation/

, 
感 (s37208)| 55.70 

0. gan3  =>  /to feel/to move/to touch/to affect/

, 
怎 (s35698)| 57.51 

0. zen3  =>  /how/

, 
快 (s35582)| 61.22 

0. kuai4  =>  /rapid/quick/speed/rate/soon/shortly/quick-witted/clever/sharp (of knives or wits)/forthright/plain-spoken/gratified/pleased/pleasant/police runner (in former times, official to arrest criminals)/

, 
总 (s75021)| 61.31 

0. zong3  =>  /always/to assemble/gather/total/overall/head/chief/general/in every case/

, 
思 (s35779)| 63.28 

0. si1  =>  /to think/to consider/

, 

[westmeadboy]

Westmeadboy, I saw in another thread that you're working on a dictionary of your own. How is that going? Do you have a working version yet?

Its in beta at the moment.

But don't get too excited(!). Its just a side project I'm working on so I don't plan to make it as fully featured as your requirements would hope for.

I just wanted a simple dictionary that would work on my handheld device (Google Android smartphone) and not require an internet connection.

Instant lookup while out and about is pretty important to me. Wenlin can't fulfil that requirement AFAIK.

[gato]

Maybe you can use Stardict as a shell? It uses GTK for user interface and already works under Windows and Linux.

http://stardict.sourceforge.net/download.php

http://stardict.sourceforge.net/other.php

Stardict source code

[tooironic]

(Wenlin has a huge amount of extra tools and features that you might not be aware of).

Can you detail some of those? Which ones do you like the most? The ones that make it worth for you to spend that money?

The biggest drawcard for me is the etymology you get for almost every character imaginable. Some are very detailed and well-researched, unlike anything I've ever seen. But there are a myriad of other cool features. I'll try to list my favourites: handwriting input/look-up, pinyin-with-tones input/look-up, pronunciation files, search via components or strokes or word/character combinations, Cantonese cross-reference, common character and words lists, illustrated stroke order pics for every character, supports both trad and simp, chinese->english number conversion, editable and importable dictionaries, easy copy and pasting of any content you want, fast and easy to run... oh and last but not least, it has a kickarse Chi->Eng dictionary!

Now, it's true that most of those things are available on the net for free in various forms, but to have it all in one program is extremely handy. In fact, I can't for the life of me think of anything it doesn't have that I wish it did, except maybe for a better Eng->Chi dict (but you can import them can't you?). As for your requirements, I think perhaps you're asking a bit much. The sheer amount of work and money that goes into creating a dictionary is intense; I should know, I'm an active contributor at wiktionary. But, hey, more power to ya!