Quakebum Posted October 17, 2011 at 02:30 AM Report Share Posted October 17, 2011 at 02:30 AM Does anyone know of a Chinese dictionary that tells you whether a word is commonly used in speech or writing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anonymoose Posted October 17, 2011 at 03:53 AM Report Share Posted October 17, 2011 at 03:53 AM I think most dictionaries do, but only for some words where the distinction is very clear. For most words, whilst they may be more frequently used in either speaking or writing, this isn't absolute, and therefore is difficult to mark in a dictionary. As your Chinese becomes more advanced, you will develop a natural feel for what's appropriate in spoken and written Chinese. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olle Linge Posted October 17, 2011 at 02:08 PM Report Share Posted October 17, 2011 at 02:08 PM If there are specific synonyms you find troublesome, I find books such as this one quite useful. Of course, the scope is rather limited, but the book clearly discusses how the words are used and in which contexts. This includes a lot more than simply stating if it's spoken and/or written Chinese; I've found the book quite useful in other areas as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny2312 Posted October 18, 2011 at 02:41 PM Report Share Posted October 18, 2011 at 02:41 PM I don't know about dictionaries for learners and online dictionaries, but if you are looking for a dictionary for native speakers, I can't find any that will state whether the particular words or terms are formal, informal or colloquial. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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