Product Description

Kodansha's Furigana Japanese Dictionary is a Kodansha International publication.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #116307 in Books
• Published on: 1999-10-30
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 1285 pages

Book Info
Provides a basic vocabulary of 30,000 entries comprising the most commonly used words in English and Japanese, semantic and usage differences between Japanese words and expressions explained clearly in English.

About the Author
Kodansha International is a Kodansha International author.

Customer Reviews

A Worthwhile Investment
For those of you studying Japanese as a second language, I'd have to say that a good dictionary is absolutely priceless, and Kodansha's Furigana dictionary is one of the best.

Kodansha's Furigana Dictionary is a dictionary used even by Native Japanese people studying English and works great studying language both ways (as it offers both Japanese-English as well as English-Japanese translations).

One of the main features about this dictionary is that it offers both translations as well as multiple examples of realistic ways of using the verbs. Since for English speakers, one of the most difficult things to learn is Japanese grammar, the examples are one of the best ways of teaching proper use of words (conjugation, tenses, meanings, etc.).

As far as I can tell (after two years of extensive study), this dictionary covers almost all of the commonly used words that even intermediate students will encounter, so you won't be carrying two or three other dictionaries around just to make sure you will be able to find what you are looking for.

I did find however that most of the words that I could not find in the dictionary were words that were strictly culture based (names of different kinds of plays, some festivals, etc.) which I did find was easier to find using an Electronic dictionary designed for Japanese students studying English (though it was much more difficult to use).

Another great feature of this dictionary is that it offers furigana (hiragana scripts on top of kanji) rather then romanji which a lot of North American made dictionaries use. This is definitely a plus since it is good opportunity to practice proper pronunciation, hiragana spelling and fast, fluent reading.

I really only found two problems with this dictionary; one was pricing (it is significantly more expensive then competitors), though it was well worth the price difference, and size/weight. It is very heavy to be carrying around all the time, though other students in my class bought the book in two parts (Japanese-English and then English-Japanese). Since most of the time beginners are only using the Japanese-English dictionary, I recommend buying it this way since you can get them in paperback (which will be cheaper) and will definitely lighten your bag.

All in all, this is a great book, and I still use it very frequently today even after two years of intensive study.

Just as a side note, I also have a CASIO electronic dictionary that carries 10 dictionaries which I do use if I'm in a hurry (watching a movie or something and need some fast translations) but I always go back to the Furigana dictionary during study time since I find it easier to learn if I physically flipping the pages to look up the book. I guess it gives me more time to absorb the vocabulary and looking up the words is a huge hassle so I try to remember the words so I don't have to look it up again.

Extremely useful
I bought this dictionary not knowing what to expect. However, the very first time I used it I knew I had made an excellent buy. Because of the example sentences that come with many of the entries, Kondasha's Furigana Dictionary is invaluable for those who have memorized a lot of vocabulary, but do not know how to use it in context. For those who already have some knowledge of kanji, the dictionary helps retain their pronunciation, since furigana are printed above each character.
I am glad I bought this dictionary. I am sure you will enjoy it too.

Don't even begin to learn Japanese without it
Any learner of Japanese needs a decent furigana dictionary. Kodansha is in the business of publishing the best Japanese learning aids available, and it only makes sense that their furigana dictionary is the one to buy.

A student of the Japanese language is wasting time with romaji. The sooner you learn the kana, the better. A good furigana dictionary serves a dual purpose of familiarizing you with the kana, as you need to know it in order to look up words, as well as being a functional dictionary.

While too basic for advanced students, the number of words should be sufficient for beginner and intermediate students. Of course, a bound dictionary will never be able to compete with an electronic dictionary for number of words and convenience, but the arduous process of looking up words the old fashioned way seems to help with retention, as well as mastering the kana.

Even absolute beginners should walk into their first Japanese class with this dictionary in their pocket.