Kodansha's Furigana Japanese Dictionary: Japanese-English English-Japanese 
asked by alexis on November 12, 2006 7:07 PM
A comprehensive, communicative, and practical guide to using Japanese, Kodansha's Furigana Japanese Dictionary is an invaluable tool for anyone with an interest in the Japanese language. It has been edited with the needs of English-speaking users in mind, whether students, teachers, business
people, or casual linguists, and special care has been taken at each stage of its compilation including the selection of entry words and their equivalents, the wording of the detailed explanations of Japanese words, the choice of example sentences, and even its functional page design to maximize its
usefulness.
What is furigana and why is it so important?
Furigana refers to the small kana that are printed above or alongside kanji to show their pronunciation. With furigana superscripts, the beginner who is familiar with hiragana and katakana is able to read even the most difficult and obscure kanji at a glance. Other dictionaries either provide little
or no guide to kanji readings or romanize some or all of the Japanese words and sentences. In the past, romanized dictionaries were of some value to students using textbooks that contained no Japanese script. Now, however, an increasing number of influential curricula around the world are based on a
rationale and methodology that demands the introduction of hiragana and katakana from the earliest stages. Learners and their teachers using such curricula will inevitably feel more comfortable with a dictionary such as Kodansha s Furigana Japanese Dictionary, one that shows the pronunciation of
kanji with a familiar and authentic kana script.
Combining Kodansha's Furigana Japanese-English Dictionary (1995) and Kodansha's Furigana English-Japanese Dictionary (1996) in one portable. affordable, and user-friendly volume, this dictionary has the following unique features:
o A basic vocabulary of 30,000 entries covers the most frequently used English and Japanese words
o Special treatment has been given to hundreds of words, names, and phrases of special relevance to English-speaking students of Japanese
o Semantic and usage differences between Japanese words and expressions are explained in clear English
o Thousands of example sentences and phrases illustrate how Japanese words are used in context
o Special information is provided on verb conjugations, formality, and other aspects of Japanese grammar and usage
people, or casual linguists, and special care has been taken at each stage of its compilation including the selection of entry words and their equivalents, the wording of the detailed explanations of Japanese words, the choice of example sentences, and even its functional page design to maximize its
usefulness.
What is furigana and why is it so important?
Furigana refers to the small kana that are printed above or alongside kanji to show their pronunciation. With furigana superscripts, the beginner who is familiar with hiragana and katakana is able to read even the most difficult and obscure kanji at a glance. Other dictionaries either provide little
or no guide to kanji readings or romanize some or all of the Japanese words and sentences. In the past, romanized dictionaries were of some value to students using textbooks that contained no Japanese script. Now, however, an increasing number of influential curricula around the world are based on a
rationale and methodology that demands the introduction of hiragana and katakana from the earliest stages. Learners and their teachers using such curricula will inevitably feel more comfortable with a dictionary such as Kodansha s Furigana Japanese Dictionary, one that shows the pronunciation of
kanji with a familiar and authentic kana script.
Combining Kodansha's Furigana Japanese-English Dictionary (1995) and Kodansha's Furigana English-Japanese Dictionary (1996) in one portable. affordable, and user-friendly volume, this dictionary has the following unique features:
o A basic vocabulary of 30,000 entries covers the most frequently used English and Japanese words
o Special treatment has been given to hundreds of words, names, and phrases of special relevance to English-speaking students of Japanese
o Semantic and usage differences between Japanese words and expressions are explained in clear English
o Thousands of example sentences and phrases illustrate how Japanese words are used in context
o Special information is provided on verb conjugations, formality, and other aspects of Japanese grammar and usage
Reviews
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I have about 10 other J-E dictionaries as well as about ten other books and none of them come close to being as useful as this one. I live in Japan and me and my friends can sit and talk with ease when we have this around but if we have to rely on other dictionaries we always stumble through conversations.
All of Kondansha's products (I have about 5) are written in the most appropriate way for the subject being addressed. It is very apparent that the people writing for this company care about their readers.
All of Kondansha's products (I have about 5) are written in the most appropriate way for the subject being addressed. It is very apparent that the people writing for this company care about their readers.
reviewed by goonball on November 18, 2006 3:57 AM
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This dictionary is most excelent for intermediate students of japanese, that knows hiragana and katakana. Enjoy it!
reviewed by perfectjen on November 27, 2006 4:05 PM