Just a postscript about online dictionaries-- I'm a huge fan of using Mycroft with Firefox to add search boxes for the Yahoo and Excite.co.jp (Kenkyuusha) dictionaries, as well as alc.co.jp, right in your browser.
Just google Mycroft project for Firefox.
I love the Yahoo dictionary just a little bit more than the version of Kenkyuusha hidden on Excite, because Yahoo tends to have shorter example sentences. (But not always.) Yahoo also requires fewer mouse clicks.
Alc.co.jp tends to have funky English translations, but the Japanese is pretty solid, and often it will have phrases that Yahoo and Excite won't have. It also tends to have gobs more example sentences and phrases. We're talking overwhelming numbers.
Goo.ne.jp also has a dictionary, but I don't use it much.
Just google Mycroft project for Firefox.
I love the Yahoo dictionary just a little bit more than the version of Kenkyuusha hidden on Excite, because Yahoo tends to have shorter example sentences. (But not always.) Yahoo also requires fewer mouse clicks.
Alc.co.jp tends to have funky English translations, but the Japanese is pretty solid, and often it will have phrases that Yahoo and Excite won't have. It also tends to have gobs more example sentences and phrases. We're talking overwhelming numbers.
Goo.ne.jp also has a dictionary, but I don't use it much.