New words added to authoritative Xinhua dictionary

 A new edition(版本 bǎnběn) of the authoritative Chinese language dictionary(字典 zìdiǎn) was unveiled on Monday and includes new words to reflect an ever-changing society.

 

First published in 1953, the “Xinhua Dictionary(新华字典)” has sold more than 600 million copies around the world and is now in its 12th edition as it continues to have a far-reaching influence in learning the Chinese language.

 

The latest edition has more than 13,000 entries of Chinese characters(字 zì) and 3,300 words(词 cí). It includes new entries, such as “二维码 (QR code),” “粉丝 (fans),” “截屏 (screenshot),”“点赞 (like)” and “初心 (original aspiration).”

 

More than 50 characters or words have new meanings(意思 yìsi) or new usage(用法 yòngfǎ). For example, the character “派” originally meant “to dispatch, style or school of thoughts” but now has a new meaning, “a Western dessert with fillings.”

 

The latest edition includes a QR code on every page, so readers can scan it with the Xinhua Dictionary App and see the radicals(部首 bùshǒu), strokes(笔画 bǐhuà), structure(结构 jiégòu) and other information(信息 xìnxī) of all the characters on the page.

 

Readers can also listen to the standard pronunciation(读音 dúyīn) for all characters, watch animations of how every character is written, and check extra explanations(讲解 jiǎngjiě).

 

In April 2016, the Guinness World Records recognized the Xinhua Dictionary as the world's "most popular dictionary" and the "best-selling regularly updated book."

 

Published by China's Commercial Press, it is compiled by members of a language-affairs commission under the State Council. It was the first modern Chinese dictionary to give definitions in simplified Chinese characters after 1949, and it is revised every five to ten years.

 

重点词汇 Key Word：

 

新

 

<形容词 adj.> appearing for the first time; new; fresh

E.g. Zhè shì wǒmen de xīn chǎnpǐn.

这是我们的新产品。

This is the new product of our company.

 

<形容词 adj.> unused; new

E.g. Wǒ chuān le xīn qúnzi.

我穿了新裙子。

I wear a new skirt.

 

<形容词 adj.> recently married or just being married

E.g. Tā dàitóu wèi xīnláng xīnniáng de jiànkāng zhùjiǔ.

他带头为新郎新娘的健康祝酒。

He led the way in drinking the health of the newlyweds.

 

<名词 n.> the new

E.g. Jīn wǎn xuéshēnghuì jiāng zhàokāi yíngxīn wǎnhuì.

今晚学生会将召开迎新晚会。

Students'unio will give a party to welcome the new students.

 

<副词 adv.> newly; recently

E.g. Tā xīnlái-zhàdào，qǐng duō guānzhào.

她新来乍到，请多关照。

She is a new comer, so please help her.