While I personally do not use online dictionaries anymore, I have done research for those people who haven't any tools except public computers. In this chapter, we will discuss online dictionaries and their search options.
The 三省堂の大辞林dictionary is available through a couple of websites.
I will recommend the original site, http://www.sanseido.net/ , and the 朝日新聞's dictionary interface, http://www.asahi.com.
It is slower than off-line electronic dictionaries
You have to be on-line. (In some countries it is expensive.)
First of all, let's look into 朝日新聞's dictionary interface.
[朝日新聞社のWeb site]
[Step]
Go to http://www.asahi.com
Right mouse click on Dictionary Service as in Fig. 3-1.
Repeat step 2.
[Figure 3-1. Asahi Shinbun's Dictionary Service]
If you have successfully followed my instructions, you will get Fig. 3-2.
Please have two dictionary service windows like Fig. 3-2.
[Figure 3-2. Two Dictionary Service Windows]
You have to choose at least one dictionary, otherwise you will get an error message. Let's search "gakusei" like Chapter 2. (Please refer to Fig. 3-3.)
[Figure 3-3. The Searching result]
Let's assume that you do not know how to read 勉強, then just copy and paste it into the other window to search for it. This makes it easy to track your main window of contents.
If you have successfully followed my instructions, you will get Fig. 3.4.
[Figure 3-4. The 和英 Searching result]
[Japanese Search Options]
完全一致検索 : This search option is for an exact match -- which we've done so far.
前方一致検索 : This search option will bring up all the vocabulary sharing the same kanji "prefix"(the first kanji in the compound). Ex.) 生 will return all vocabulary starting with生. Please refer to Fig. 3-5.
[Figure 3-5. 前方一致検索]
後方一致検索 : This search option will bring up sharing the same kanji "suffix" (the final kanji in the compound). Ex) 生 will return all the vocabulary ending with生. Please refer to Fig. 3-6.
[Figure 3-6後方一致検索]
全文検索 : This search option will bring any word with any matching kanji anyplace in the dictionary. Please refer to Fig. 3-7.
