中文 - English Online Dictionary

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Input Language:	简体字 繁体字 Pin Yin English

FAQ and usage instructions

• This translation software uses the UTF-8 encoding for displaying simplified and traditional Chinese as unicode characters. If your computer is not properly setup you will either see squares, question marks or strange mix-ups of random characters instead of all Chinese characters. Many operating systems do not enable support for asian languages by default because the vast amount of additional memory that is required to store the characters. Anyway; All modern operating systems support displaying Chinese characters. Please refer to your operating system's manual for further information on how to enable asian language support.
  If you still see a lot of squares, question marks or strangely mixed-up characters after enabling support for east asian languages, you may want to try forcing the codepage "Unicode UTF-8" in your browser. Your browser's online help file should be able to guide you through the process.
  Hint #1 Mozilla Firefox 3.5: Main-Menu → View → Character Encoding
  Hint #2 Microsoft Internet Explorer 8: Main-Menu → Page → Encoding
• Unlike the ThreeLights CEdict Desktop Dictionary this website will not attempt to detect your input language automatically. You have to check the appropriate radio button below the input box to specify your input language.
• Searching in 简体字 and 繁体字 is strait forward. Just switch to your favorite IME and type. Results are alphabetically ascending ordered by Pin Yin.
• Pin Yin: Each entered syllable (excluding the last) must be terminated with space. The four basic tones of mandarin are represented by the numbers 1, 2, 3 and 4. The tones must be entered directly (without space) behind the syllables. If you omit the tone of any syllable the software will match the syllable with all four tones. The letter v substitutes ü. You may input ü as u: or v. Lookup is not case sensitive. Results are alphabetically ascending ordered by Pin Yin.
• Dictionary lookups in English are not case sensitive. Results are alphabetically ascending ordered by English spelling.
• This tanslator uses the CC-CEDICT dictionary as database. This dictionary is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 License. The dictionary is maintained and extended by many people around the globe. Check out the above link if you want to become one of them.
  
• ThreeLights CEdict Desktop Dictionary is a standalone offline version of this dictionary. It is much more interactive and in many points superior to the online version. But most importantly it does not require you being connected to the internet. You may download it here.