tự điển

See also: từ điển

Vietnamese

Etymology

Sino-Vietnamese word from 字典 (“Han character dictionary”).

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [tɨ˧˨ʔ ʔɗiən˧˩]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [tɨ˨˩ʔ ʔɗiəŋ˧˨]
• (Saigon) IPA^(key): [tɨ˨˩˨ ʔɗiəŋ˨˩˦]

Noun

(classifier cuốn, quyển) tự điển

1. (chiefly Sinology) a Han character dictionary

   Synonyms: tự vị, tự vựng

2. (by extension) Synonym of từ điển (“dictionary”)

Usage notes

• Even though some Sinologists may proscribe the use of the word in the sense of "generic dictionary", authors of cheap dictionaries may still label their "English–Vietnamese dictionaries" as tự điển. The fine distinction is not widely known outside the realm of Sinology.

Derived terms

• Khang Hi tự điển

Further reading

• "tự điển" in Hồ Ngọc Đức, Free Vietnamese Dictionary Project (details)