i'm looking for a good monolingual dictionary as well as eng-jap dictionary. know of any good ones?

Search the forum for StarDict.

I use Tagaini Jisho.

wildweathel Wrote:Search the forum for StarDict.

I love that thing. Although lately it can't connect to the server that it pulls my dictionary data from cos I couldn't work out how to make it work offline and it just says "can't connect, no error". Let me tell it something, not connecting IS an error. Anyone tell me how on earth to make it work offline?

the built-in japanese-to-japanese, japanese-to-english, and english-to-japanese dictionaries that come with Mac OS X Leopard and Snow Leopard.

IMHO, the best japanese dictionaries outside of buying an electronic japanese dictionary

For J-E-J check Wakan. It basically uses Edict for words, Kanjidic for kanji and you can download the Tanaka Corpus and use it to get example sentences for all the words you look up (I know the limitations of the Tanaka Corpus, so please don't point them out here).

When looking up kanji, you can go from reading, meaning, stroke count, radicals, Skip code, JLPT levels, frequency, Heisig index, DeRoo index and other several options.

For words, you can type let Wakan grab words automatically from the clipboard. You can look up words that start from, end with or include a given set of kanji or kana.

I really recommend you to give Wakan a try, it is packed with options, but at the same time it's fast and user friendly.

mezbup Wrote:

wildweathel Wrote:Search the forum for StarDict.

I love that thing. Although lately it can't connect to the server that it pulls my dictionary data from cos I couldn't work out how to make it work offline and it just says "can't connect, no error". Let me tell it something, not connecting IS an error. Anyone tell me how on earth to make it work offline?

I didn't even know you could connect to servers until this comment. What's it for? You could try unchecking the 'Enable network dictionaries' box in the Network\Net Dict section...

Keep in mind, Wakan's edict file is out of date, even the "updated" version on the website. For edict reading software, I usually use JWPCE, which really shows its age and requires you to use its built in IME. Despite this, jwpce allows you to update your edict file manually. Though Tagaini Jisho seems like it might be better, it also does not allow manual updating of the edict file, thought it may be kept up to date better than wakan.

I use "Japanese" for iPod Touch. It has just enough information without too much.

This is the best E-J: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenky%C5%AB...Dictionary (新和英大辞典)

Good J-J are Daijirin, Daijisen, Kojien. Also, Shin Meikai which is popular among students.

See http://www.gally.net/translation/kokugo.htm

The Kenkyuusha dictionary is expensive. It's available on the iphone, or on the PC as an epwing file or cdrom application.

http://www.kenkyusha.co.jp/modules/04_de...ntent_id=1

EBWin + Green Goddess.

I use JLookup for an English definition, but I have had no luck finding a dictionary only in Japanese (then again, I didn't look very hard for one). I also use a program called "PC-DIC" for J-K translations, but I don't know if you'll be able to find a copy of this program since it was was discontinued in 2000....

harhol Wrote:EBWin + Green Goddess.

Just spent like 30 minutes fiddling with EBWin and couldn't even get one successful look-up. 0_o

Transparent_Aluminium Wrote:This is the best E-J: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenky%C5%AB...Dictionary (新和英大辞典)

Good J-J are Daijirin, Daijisen, Kojien. Also, Shin Meikai which is popular among students.

See http://www.gally.net/translation/kokugo.htm

The Kenkyuusha dictionary is expensive. It's available on the iphone, or on the PC as an epwing file or cdrom application.

http://www.kenkyusha.co.jp/modules/04_de...ntent_id=1

are all those J-J dictionaries just books? i was looking for an offline program that is a dictionary. i dled wakan but i still can't find a J-J dictionary program

ZuMash Wrote:i dled wakan but i still can't find a J-J dictionary program

Search the forum for Stardict.

http://www.jedict.com <- This.

fjolnir Wrote:http://www.jedict.com <- This.

If someone stupid (say me) wanted to know how to make that program work, what would you tell them?

kapalama Wrote:

fjolnir Wrote:http://www.jedict.com <- This.

If someone stupid (say me) wanted to know how to make that program work, what would you tell them?

Just download and double click : /

chamcham Wrote:the built-in japanese-to-japanese, japanese-to-english, and english-to-japanese dictionaries that come with Mac OS X Leopard and Snow Leopard.

IMHO, the best japanese dictionaries outside of buying an electronic japanese dictionary

I agree, I only use the J-J dic, but it's freakin awesome. I used some crappy online dictionaries like Sanseido and Goo previously, but I've been using the built in app (which uses the 大辞泉 dic) for the last 6 months. The problem is, when someone on windows asks me what offline app they can use, I have no idea! The Mac dictionary covers just about every language you can possibly think of.

Oh yeah, I use '大辞林’ on my iPhone. It's the best monolingual japanese dic I've seen for the iPhone so far.

thecite Wrote:

chamcham Wrote:the built-in japanese-to-japanese, japanese-to-english, and english-to-japanese dictionaries that come with Mac OS X Leopard and Snow Leopard.

IMHO, the best japanese dictionaries outside of buying an electronic japanese dictionary

I agree, I only use the J-J dic, but it's freakin awesome. I used some crappy online dictionaries like Sanseido and Goo previously, but I've been using the built in app (which uses the 大辞泉 dic) for the last 6 months. The problem is, when someone on windows asks me what offline app they can use, I have no idea! The Mac dictionary covers just about every language you can possibly think of.

The best dictionary for Windows (for me at least) is Lingoes.
It's got lots of Japanese/English dictionaries, an easy to use interface and a portable version.
I found it from a thread on this site ("Shinkai-san: A Quirky Dictionary")
and it's been my go-to offline dictionary ever since.
There are others (Babylon,StarDict, GoldenDict) Although I think a dictionary is somewhat a personal preference.

thecite Wrote:Oh yeah, I use '大辞林’ on my iPhone. It's the best monolingual japanese dic I've seen for the iPhone so far.

Agreed - I also use this. Nice interface and totally worth the price, but I wish I could understand monodics better...