DICO

Last updated : 28/03/2017

05/03/2017 version 2.0: Java rewrite, available on Windows, MacOS and Linux, new search features

  Features

  Installation

  Troubleshooting

  CC-CEDict

  Other languages

DICO is a chinese dictionary, a multi-platform program intended to help you read Chinese electronic texts.

DICO is a free shareware, download and use freely.

Main features

• simply select Chinese text and type ctrl-C to bring up dictionary
• perform complex searches by directly typing Chinese, pinyin or English in the search field
  For example, find all 4-character idioms that contain a given character; or find any phrase that contains two given characters, in any position; find all words that are pronounced "yaobu", irrespective of the tones (is your ear perfect?)
• include variant character forms in search
  An invaluable feature if you often read texts in traditional characters; even in simplified characters, there are a few variants. No other program seems to address this problem, but variant chars are a big reason why you miss polysyllabic words that actually are in a dictionary. Can you imagine in English not finding "plow" because the entry is at "plough"?
• search history
  Previous searches are remembered, and you can come back to them with a single keystroke
• toggle between traditional and simplified characters
• user-configurable fonts, sizes, colors ...
  adjust for optimal comfort
• can use any dictionary file conforming to the CC-CEdict format
• update the dictionary database by a simple click
• click here to view some screenshots.

Installation Instructions

You must have Java installed. You probably do.

Download the file corresponding to your operating system: Windows, MacOS or Linux.

Windows

Unzip the file in a new directory. Create a desktop shortcut to DICO.jar

Done ! Now, view the readme.txt file.

Mac

Unzip the file. Move the application DICO to the Applications directory. Done!

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Troubleshooting

• If you can't start the program, it is some problem with your Java installation. Try opening the Java console and see what went wrong.
  The Windows version is 32-bit. Try starting DICO by launching dico.bat (which enables -d32).
• If you can't automatically refresh CC-Cedict by clicking the update button, it might be a problem with your Java security.
  Check your Java version: open a console and type java -version.
  Google "Java Cryptography Extension X" where X is 6, 7, 8 depending on your version. Your first hit should be at Oracle.
  Download and unzip the policy files. This gives you two files: local_policy.jar and US_export_policy.jar.
  Navigate to your Java home directory (something like C:\jdk1.6.0\jre or /home/user1/jdk1.6.0/jre), and copy the two files, replacing the existing files.
• DICO may not popup when you hit CTRL-C. This, it seems, is a policy of Linux, there is no way around.
  Solution: do not minimize DICO, leave the window in the background, it will come to the fore when you hit CTRL-C.

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Information

CC-Cedict

• CC-CEdict is an Internet project which provides a downloadable Chinese-to-English database. Go to CC-CEDICT Wiki to learn more about the project.

• CC-CEdict has already reached the stage where it is one of the most exhaustive and accurate electronic dictionary database. However, the database is updated and corrected daily. If you would like some entry added, or spot an unsatisfactory entry, you can either mail me or go directly to the editor page.

• To keep abreast of the improvement in CC-CEdict, refresh the database on a periodic basis. Click on the update button, or go to MDBG to download cedict_1_0_ts_utf-8_mdbg.zip, and unzip it into the DICO directory, replacing the older file.

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DICO for other languages

For other languages, dowload the relevant database and copy it to the /data/ directory. Select the dictionary by clicking on the dictionary name at the bottom of DICO window.

• Français
  CFDict est un projet similaire à CC-CEDict. Malheureusement, une partie seulement de la base de données est téléchargeable. D'autre part, la qualité est faible: il n'y a pas d'éditeurs, et la meilleure partie de la base est copiée de CC-CEDict, traduit par des personnes dont le faible niveau en anglais et en chinois donne lieu à des entrées hilarantes. Enfin, au cas où, voilà le lien:
  http://chine.in/mandarin/dictionnaire/CFDICT/#download
• Deutsch
  HanDeDict wurde im August 2015 geschlossen. Die letzte version vom Mai 2011 ist hier:
  https://github.com/zydeo/HanDeDict/"