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How to look up kanji in dictionary?

hiverloon

先輩
23 Aug 2015
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It's not really a translation request but I think it is relevant with this section. I would like to know how you usually look up a kanji that you don't know its reading. For example there is certain stuff you found in the convenience store and you want to know its meaning by looking up in your phone's dictionary app.
 
There are multiple ways:
  • Scan the kanji using your phone's camera and have it recognized automatically.
  • Draw (an approximation of) the kanji on your screen.
  • Select a number of components of the kanji from a list. For example, you can quickly find 菜 by tapping on ⺾ and 木. Requires you to know common components in advance so you can pick them out from the unknown kanji.
  • Use the SKIP method, which first asks you for the general layout of the kanji and then for the number of strokes in each part. For example, you can find 野 by specifying that it consists of two parts next to each other, where the left one has 7 strokes and the right one has 4. Requires you to know how to count strokes.
Some examples of free apps that support these methods: JapanGoggles can do the first method, Aedict can do the latter three.
 
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The most certain way is to read the instructions or help file associated with whichever program you're using. Even with paper dictionaries the method can vary and it is best to read the introduction and instructions.
 
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