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A relatively recent invention, perhaps not out of keeping with Japan's reputation as a centre of high technology, is the Electronic Dictionary (Japanese ''denshi jisho'' 電子辞書) which can incorporate multiple volumes into one pocket-sized device. A variety of dictionaries and related software can also be found online. Below is a list of some of the categories of dictionaries available, both specialist and otherwise, and a discussion of some specific examples. COLLATION Japanese dictionaries are usually collated (ordered) in the order of the words in Kana , the phonetically based syllabary of Japanese, rather than the Radical system used in Chinese dictionaries. The usual ordering of the kana is the Gojūon system. Kanji dictionaries are usually ordered using the same Radical and Stroke Order method used in Chinese dictionaries. CHINESE CHARACTER DICTIONARIES Reading Japanese requires a good knowledge of Chinese characters (''kanji'' 漢字) - particularly in the case of pre-modern (and some pre-WWII) texts. Below is a list of some of the resources available to determine the reading and meaning of Chinese characters. CURRENT WORD DICTIONARIES Japan, like most other developed countries, has its own set of ''mots du jour'', whether translated or imported directly from other languages, and there are at least three regularly published dictionaries that attempt to keep their readers abreast of the latest terms. ELECTRONIC JAPANESE DICTIONARIES Electronic dictionaries can carry multiple works in one handy pocket-sized device. Numerous different models are available, which vary widely in terms of content, ease of use and cost. FOREIGN LOAN WORD DICTIONARIES Loan words from other languages (''gairaigo'' 外来語) are a salient feature of Japanese, and their number increases year on year. Many native speakers, to say nothing of foreign learners, have a hard time keeping up with all the new terms and there are several publications available explaining the meaning and etymology of the latest buzz-words. JAPANESE-JAPANESE DICTIONARIES Although the Kōjien is generally regarded as the most authoritative single-volume Japanese-Japanese dictionary, multi-volume competitors also exist, and these are in some cases able to offer a greater level of detail. ENGLISH-JAPANESE AND JAPANESE-ENGLISH DICTIONARIES ONLINE DICTIONARIES The internet contains a wealth of online resources for studying and reading Japanese, not least online dictionaries.
PRE-MODERN JAPANESE DICTIONARIES Pre-modern Japanese can vary considerably from the modern language, and many words can be impossible to find in modern dictionaries or have different meanings to their modern counterparts. A good pre-modern Japanese dictionary (''kogo jiten'' 古語辞典）is essential for anyone reading Classical Japanese . EXTERNAL LINKS Online dictionaries
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