A Learner's Chinese Dictionary: Illustrations of the Usages
Beijing Language and Culture University Press
Hard cover
1487 pages
Dimensions: 210 x 145 x 50 mm

"This Dictionary is a project of State Chinese Language Promotion Leading Group, a publication of Press of Beijing Language and Culture University 2005. It is specially designed for foreign people's Chinese study and stressed on model words (with bilingual explanation of the definition of the words). Experienced teachers at Dalian Foreign Studies Institute took eight year on the editing. The dictionary offers 10,000-odd words; it is a medium-sized dictionary.
Wang Li,a linguist once said:"Examples are clearer than all explanations, no matter how good the latter may be". Definitions are abstract while examples are concrete and vivid. The meaning and function of words can only be learned through sentences. The role of usage examples cannot be replaced by any other part of a dictionary.

Some dictionaries have unclear standards and rules and lack of model words. Current Chinese dictionaries for foreigners have more problems in such area due to limited users and short history.

This dictionary focuses on the different use of words with a large number of examples. Its unique features are: 1. Samples are vivid and commonly used in everyday life. Take the word "Special" for example: I see nothing special after I look left and right. 2. Examples are useful in daily life, such as the character wu, which means "do not": No smoking. 3. Examples are meaningful and contain Chinese cultural background, such as "love": The father loves his only daughter very much; Aged people seem to like to do exercise more than young people do; Do not vain; etc. These sentences reflect Chinese people's life and culture. 4. It offersvarious examples to show different meanings in different sentences. Such as "rest": I will not be free this Sunday (as predicate); We have no place to rest at noon (as attribute); Good rest can benefit work (as subject); You need rest because you are ill (as object).

Besides the unique examples, this dictionary also offers practical functions for foreigners, such as the parts of speech of a word, the collocation of noun and measure word, synonym and antonym, as well as usage notes on some words. All definitions are in both Chinese and English.(PEKING UNIVERSITY PRESS)"