Resource for differences between words?

[deremifri]

When we learn Chinese, we stumble from time to time on two or three words that seem to mean the same, but actually dont. However, we are not aware of this, because a common dictionary does not indicate these fine differences in usage.

 

Example:

 

生活， 生命 are both translated as "life", however the first one means more day to day life, while the latter one is life in itself, like "scientists wonder if other forms of life exist".

 

To be able to differentiate between these things seems to be so important to expressing myself accurately, but I can't find a resource which helps me solve this problem.

 

So, does anybody know of an online resource (preferably) or a book, which gives explanations about usage with examples? I assume that could help a lot of people.

 

 

[Demonic_Duck]

There are a good number of dictionaries published in Chinese that specifically deal with synonyms, near-synonyms and antonyms, and explain the differences between the near-synonyms.

 

For example:

http://s.taobao.com/search?q=%CD%AC%D2%E5%BD%FC%D2%E5%B7%B4%D2%E5%B4%CA%B5%E4&js=1&stats_click=search_radio_all%253A1&initiative_id=staobaoz_20150204

 

Not sure about resources in English, though I'm fairly sure I've seen such things mentioned before, at least in printed form. As for online resources (in either language), I have no idea.

[stapler]

I find the ABC dictionary immensely useful for distinguishing many words I think are synonyms because it makes pretty clear what is a verb, noun, stative verb, a verb-object, etc.(and also knowing when a character only comes bound-form in a bound form has been very handy to know too).

 

For cases of true synonyms I generally just ask a Chinese person...

[li3wei1]

if you want online, jukuu.com is very useful. You may have to play around with it and try things in both directions, but it will give you a sense of how each word is used.

[xiaokaka]

Of the dictionaries in Pleco I think that Guifan is the only one that explicitly discuss the differences between between two or more similar words (e.g., how they differ in usage and meaning, which that can be used both as a noun and a verb while the other is just a verb, etc.). I wish this would be done in more Chinese–English dictionaries as well, but unfortunately I haven't found one. But I agree that the ABC dictionary is very helpful.

Edit: A note from the entry for 生命 in 规范：

注意 跟“性命”不同。“生命”适用范围较广, 可用于各种生物, 还有比喻用法; “性命”多适用于人和动物。

[deremifri]

Appreciate all the replies.

 

Also did some research on my own.

Yale has a small online collection of often confusing synonyms which can be found here. Although I cant vouch for their accuracy, the explanations are quite extensive and clear up quite a bit of confusion.

 

 

Olle from Hacking Chinese has written a review where he recommends the Chinese Synonyms Usage Dictionary, which explains subtle differences in meaning and register. Luckily, the explanations are in English and Chinese, so its usefulness is not only limited to advanced learners. It can be picked up in its simplified form for 50 RMB here.

 

 

[mandarina]

I like Using Chinese Synonyms by Grace Qiao Zhang