Usage note
词典是用来查找词语意思和拼写的工具。
cí diǎn shì yòng lái chá zhǎo cí yǔ yì思 和 pīn shé 拼写 de gōng jù。
A dictionary is a tool used to look up the meanings and spellings of words.
Context note
词典通常在学习新词汇或需要确认拼写时使用。
cí diǎn tōng cháng zài xué xí xīn cí huì 或 yào qè rèn quán pīn shé 时 sòng yòng。
Dictionaries are typically used when learning new vocabulary or needing to check spellings.
5 examples
我用词典查了这个单词的意思。
wǒ yòng cí diǎn chá le zhè ge dān cí de yì sī。
I used the dictionary to look up the meaning of this word.
妈妈让我查词典确认拼写。
mā ma ràng wǒ chá cí diǎn què rèn pīn xiě。
Mom asked me to check the dictionary for spelling confirmation.
我们可以在网上找到免费的电子词典。
wǒ men kě yǐ zài wǎng shàng zhǎo dào miǎn fèi de diàn zǐ cí diǎn。
We can find free electronic dictionaries online.
老师让我们用词典学习新单词。
lǎo shī ràng wǒ men yòng cí diǎn xué xí xīn dān cí。
The teacher asked us to use the dictionary to learn new words.
查词典可以帮助我们更好地理解文章。
chá cí diǎn kě yǐ bāng zhù wǒ men gèng hǎo dì lǐ jiě wén zhāng。
Using a dictionary can help us better understand the article.
5 mini stories
小明今天学习了一个新词，他查了词典确认拼写。
xiǎo míng jīn tiān xué xí le yí gè xīn cí， tā chá le cí diǎn què rèn pīn xiě。
Xiaoming learned a new word today and checked the dictionary to confirm its spelling.
妈妈给小华买了一本新词典，他很高兴。
mā ma gěi xiǎo huá mǎi le yì běn xīn cí diǎn， tā hěn gāo xìng。
Mom bought Xiaohua a new dictionary, and he was very happy.
小红在写作文时查了词典，找到了很多好词。
xiǎo hóng zài xiě zuò wén shí chá le cí diǎn， zhǎo dào le hěn duō hǎo cí。
Xiaohong found many good words when she checked the dictionary while writing an essay.
爸爸教小明查词典的方法，他学会了。
bà ba jiào xiǎo míng chá cí diǎn de fāng fǎ， tā xué huì le。
Dad taught Xiaoming how to use a dictionary, and he learned it.
小丽用词典查了这个句子的意思。
xiǎo lì yòng cí diǎn chá le zhè ge jù zi de yì sī。
Xiaoli looked up the meaning of this sentence in the dictionary.
Mini dialogue
查生字
A
这个字我不认识，你有词典吗？
Zhège zì wǒ bù rènshi, nǐ yǒu cídiǎn ma?
I don't know this character, do you have a dictionary?
B
有，用我的电子词典查一查吧。
Yǒu, yòng wǒ de diànzǐ cídiǎn chá yī chá ba.
Yes, use my electronic dictionary to look it up.
买词典
A
妈妈，可以给我买一本词典吗？
Māma, kěyǐ gěi wǒ mǎi yī běn cídiǎn ma?
Mom, can you buy me a dictionary?
B
好的，词典对学习中文很有帮助。
Hǎo de, cídiǎn duì xuéxí Zhōngwén hěn yǒu bāngzhù.
Sure, a dictionary is very helpful for learning Chinese.
Related words and contrasts
similar
字典
zìdiǎn
character dictionary
Focuses on single characters, not whole words
related
查
chá
to look up
Common verb used with 词典