Nihongo Daijiten
Encyclopedia
The is a color-illustrated Japanese dictionary edited by Umesao Tadao (梅棹忠夫, 1920- ) and published by Kodansha
in 1989 and 1995 (2nd edition).
(1955, 1969, 1983). The others were Sanseido
's Daijirin
(1988, 1995, 2006) and Shogakukan
's Daijisen
(1995, 1998). These four general-purpose kokugo jisho (国語辞書 "Japanese language dictionaries") are bulky reference works that weigh approximately 1 kilogram.
Along with the chief editor Umesao Tadao, other Nihongo daijiten editors included Kindaichi Haruhiko (金田一春彦, 1913–2004), Sakakura Atsuyoshi (阪倉篤義, 1917–1994), and Hinohara Shigeaki (日野原重明, 1911- ).
Kodansha's first Color-edition Nihongo daijiten (1989) included over 175,000 headword
entries. This dictionary also incorporated encyclopedic content such as color pictures, proper names, allegedly "10,000" kanji
entries (many with Japanese input method JIS X 0208
codes), and some 100,000 English translation glosses for modern Japanese words.
The 2nd edition (1995) expanded by almost 250 pages, giving 200,000 headwords, 120,000 English glosses, and 6500 color illustrations. The printed Nihongo daijiten version came with an electronic book CD-ROM containing some additional digital content (graphic data, sound files, etc.). In 2001, Sony licensed Kodansha's Nihongo daijiten and released a Japanese TVware version for PlayStation 2
.
, but it is useful as an all-in-one dictionary. Most monolingual Japanese dictionaries only include English words as loanword
sources, for instance, noting tie as the origin of Japanese tai (タイ "tie, necktie; tie, equal score"). In distinction, the Nihongo daijiten entry for tai (鯛 "sea bream; porgy") gives three English glosses.
English is also prominent on the Nihongo daijiten cover with a stylized "GJ" monogram and "The Great Japanese Dictionary" title.
While the venerable Kōjien dictionary only had black-and-white illustrations, the three competitors took advantage of color printing
technology. For instance, all included appendices showing Japanese color names and corresponding colors. First, the Nihongo Daijiten (1989) appendix printed 350 colors and names (色名辞典 "Dictionary of color names", with notes and page cross-references). Second, the Daijisen (1995) appendix had 358 (カラーチャート色名 "Color chart of color names"). The 1st edition Daijirin (1988) was printed in two colors, and the 2nd edition (1995) added a color appendix displaying 168 (色の名 "Names of colors", some with Classical Japanese quotations).
The Japanese librarian Yasuko Makino (2002) describes the Nihongo daijiten.
Kodansha
, the largest Japanese publisher, produces the manga magazines Nakayoshi, Afternoon, Evening, and Weekly Shonen Magazine, as well as more literary magazines such as Gunzō, Shūkan Gendai, and the Japanese dictionary Nihongo Daijiten. The company has its headquarters in Bunkyō, Tokyo...
in 1989 and 1995 (2nd edition).
History
The Nihongo daijiten was one of three Japanese dictionaries specifically published to compete with Iwanami's bestselling KōjienKojien
The is a single-volume Japanese dictionary first published by Iwanami Shoten in 1955. Many native speakers of Japanese regard the Kōjien as the most authoritative dictionary, and newspaper editorials frequently cite its definitions...
(1955, 1969, 1983). The others were Sanseido
Sanseido
is a Japanese publishing company known for publishing dictionaries and textbooks....
's Daijirin
Daijirin
The is a comprehensive single-volume Japanese dictionary edited by , and first published by in 1988. This title is based upon two early Sanseido dictionaries edited by Shōzaburō Kanazawa , the Jirin and the revised Kōjirin .-History:Sanseido specifically created the Daijirin to compete with...
(1988, 1995, 2006) and Shogakukan
Shogakukan
is a Japanese publisher of dictionaries, literature, manga, non-fiction, DVDs, and other media in Japan.Shogakukan founded Shueisha which founded Hakusensha. These are three separate companies, but are together called the Hitotsubashi Group, one of the largest publishing groups in Japan...
's Daijisen
Daijisen
The is a general-purpose Japanese dictionary published by Shogakukan in 1995 and 1998. It was designed as an "all-in-one" dictionary for native speakers of Japanese, especially high school and university students.-History:...
(1995, 1998). These four general-purpose kokugo jisho (国語辞書 "Japanese language dictionaries") are bulky reference works that weigh approximately 1 kilogram.
Along with the chief editor Umesao Tadao, other Nihongo daijiten editors included Kindaichi Haruhiko (金田一春彦, 1913–2004), Sakakura Atsuyoshi (阪倉篤義, 1917–1994), and Hinohara Shigeaki (日野原重明, 1911- ).
Kodansha's first Color-edition Nihongo daijiten (1989) included over 175,000 headword
Headword
A headword, head word, lemma, or sometimes catchword is the word under which a set of related dictionary or encyclopaedia entries appear. The headword is used to locate the entry, and dictates its alphabetical position...
entries. This dictionary also incorporated encyclopedic content such as color pictures, proper names, allegedly "10,000" kanji
Kanji
Kanji are the adopted logographic Chinese characters hanzi that are used in the modern Japanese writing system along with hiragana , katakana , Indo Arabic numerals, and the occasional use of the Latin alphabet...
entries (many with Japanese input method JIS X 0208
JIS X 0208
JIS X 0208 is a 2-byte character set specified as a Japanese Industrial Standard, containing 6879 graphic characters suitable for writing text, place names, personal names, and so forth in the Japanese language. The official title of the current standard is...
codes), and some 100,000 English translation glosses for modern Japanese words.
The 2nd edition (1995) expanded by almost 250 pages, giving 200,000 headwords, 120,000 English glosses, and 6500 color illustrations. The printed Nihongo daijiten version came with an electronic book CD-ROM containing some additional digital content (graphic data, sound files, etc.). In 2001, Sony licensed Kodansha's Nihongo daijiten and released a Japanese TVware version for PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
.
Characteristics
English glosses are one of the most notable differences between the Nihongo daijiten and other general-purpose Japanese dictionaries (Kōjien, Daijirin, Daijisen, etc.). Since the Nihongo daijiten gives brief English annotations rather than translation equivalents, it is not an actual Japanese-English bilingual dictionaryBilingual dictionary
A bilingual dictionary or translation dictionary is a specialized dictionary used to translate words or phrases from one language to another. Bilingual dictionaries can be unidirectional, meaning that they list the meanings of words of one language in another, or can be bidirectional, allowing...
, but it is useful as an all-in-one dictionary. Most monolingual Japanese dictionaries only include English words as loanword
Loanword
A loanword is a word borrowed from a donor language and incorporated into a recipient language. By contrast, a calque or loan translation is a related concept where the meaning or idiom is borrowed rather than the lexical item itself. The word loanword is itself a calque of the German Lehnwort,...
sources, for instance, noting tie as the origin of Japanese tai (タイ "tie, necktie; tie, equal score"). In distinction, the Nihongo daijiten entry for tai (鯛 "sea bream; porgy") gives three English glosses.
- porgy, under the fish name
- supreme thing, under the "highest quality" metaphor, specifically the idiom kusatte mo tai (腐っても鯛 "Even if it's rotting, sea bream [is the best]")
- Better to be the head of a dog than the tail of a lion, under the subentry for tai no o yorimo iwashi no kashira (鯛の尾よりも鰯の頭 "Better to be the head of a sardine than the tail of a sea bream").
English is also prominent on the Nihongo daijiten cover with a stylized "GJ" monogram and "The Great Japanese Dictionary" title.
While the venerable Kōjien dictionary only had black-and-white illustrations, the three competitors took advantage of color printing
Color printing
Color printing or Colour printing is the reproduction of an image or text in color...
technology. For instance, all included appendices showing Japanese color names and corresponding colors. First, the Nihongo Daijiten (1989) appendix printed 350 colors and names (色名辞典 "Dictionary of color names", with notes and page cross-references). Second, the Daijisen (1995) appendix had 358 (カラーチャート色名 "Color chart of color names"). The 1st edition Daijirin (1988) was printed in two colors, and the 2nd edition (1995) added a color appendix displaying 168 (色の名 "Names of colors", some with Classical Japanese quotations).
Reviews
The Japanese translator Tom Gally (1999) criticizes the Nihongo Daijiten in comparison with the Kōjien, Daijirin, and Daijisen.Though subtitled in English "The Great Japanese Dictionary," this dictionary is, in my opinion, the least great of the four large single-volume kokugo dictionaries described here. With its many color pictures, pages of advice on giving speeches and writing letters, and short English glosses for many of the entries, it wears its marketing strategy on its sleeve: to sell to people who don't know dictionaries. While all of the big dictionaries are advertised as gifts for recent graduates and newlyweds, this one seems most consciously designed to appeal to the casual, unintellectual consumer.
Nihongo Daijitens definitions in Japanese are noticeably shorter than in Daijirin, Daijisen, or Koujien, and, despite being as large and heavy as the others, Nihongo Daijiten has significantly fewer entries and pages, the thicker paper and larger pictures having taken their toll. Even the English glosses, though quite well done, are too skimpy to make this book much use as a Japanese–English dictionary. The one area where this dictionary excels is in its pictures. They are clear and attractive, and they make the book a pleasure for casual browsing. They appear, though, at a heavy price to what I, for one, want most in a dictionary: words.
The Japanese librarian Yasuko Makino (2002) describes the Nihongo daijiten.
An encyclopedic, one-volume modern Japanese–language dictionary, aiming to give a total picture of the language. Focusing on words which are used everyday, this revised edition contains 200,000 words, terms and phrases, and names which we encounter and use daily including proper names particularly personal and geographical names both domestic and foreign, idioms, foreign words which became Japanese, acronyms, and 6,500 color illustrations. Includes sample sentences employing the words. It added elements of Kanwa jiten [Chinese character–Japanese dictionary], and includes many compounds as separate entries. When English equivalents exist, it is given. Includes various useful appendixes such as sample letters, speeches, and abbreviated words.