looking for Japanese reader with dic

nukito · 06-14-2012, 07:07 AM

I'm looking for a Japanese Ereader.
should be able to translate from japanese to english as well.
another bonus could be translating from several languages to english.
what is my best option?
kindle or sony ?

thank you .

HarryT · 06-14-2012, 07:21 AM

You probably be best off with the Japanese version of the Sony PRS-T1.

nukito · 06-14-2012, 07:31 AM

I just check it and found that the japanese prs-t1 doesn't have built in japanese to english dic. isn't it cheaper to but the us version and just add jap - en dic ?

HarryT · 06-14-2012, 07:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nukito

I just check it and found that the japanese prs-t1 doesn't have built in japanese to english dic. isn't it cheaper to but the us version and just add jap - en dic ?

The key thing about the Japanese version of the Sony PRS-T1 is that it's pretty much the only reader you'll find which can display Japanese correctly (ie, in vertical columns, right to left). It depends what your priority is - reading "real" Japanese books in the way that they're intended to be read, or looking up words in a dictionary.

nukito · 06-14-2012, 07:55 AM

but how can I look words in the dictionary? it doesn't have japanese - english dic anyway.
and I think looking up for words is more important for me right now because I am learning the language.

HarryT · 06-14-2012, 08:02 AM

I'm afraid that I don't know of any reader which has a Japanese-English dictionary. You could always use a paper dictionary, of course.

nukito · 06-14-2012, 08:22 AM

the problem is that in case you don't know how to read the word it can be very frustrating... and not all the books have furigana.
what should I do? isn't there a way to use other dictionaries after hacking sony psr-t1 or kindle?

HarryT · 06-14-2012, 08:30 AM

You can't add additional dictionaries to the Sony.

You can add dictionaries to the Kindle, and the Kindle can display Japanese text (although only left-to-right, horizontally), but Japanese publishers haven't embraced the Kindle - I don't know how many Japanese books are available for it. The Kindle store lists a number of Japanese dictionaries. How well these work, I don't know.

nukito · 06-14-2012, 08:53 AM

there is a way with coolreader for android, am I right? how well does it work?
the dictionaries for kindle doesn't work well.

charmian · 06-15-2012, 02:21 AM

What are the formats of the Japanese books you seek to read?

I would suggest getting an android tablet. There are multiple translation dictionary apps. Though, to be honest, I'd say just get an electronic dictionary and look it up there. Then you won't be burdened by needing to switch between programs.

nukito · 06-15-2012, 05:08 AM

Japanese isn't that simple. If I don't know how to pronounce the word at all there is no way to use dictionary . that's way it is so important to me.

HarryT · 06-15-2012, 05:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nukito

Japanese isn't that simple. If I don't know how to pronounce the word at all there is no way to use dictionary . that's way it is so important to me.

What does a Japanese person do if he wants to look up a completely unknown word in the dictionary? There must surely be a way to use a Japanese dictionary to look up an unknown ideograph?

nukito · 06-15-2012, 05:23 AM

of course there is a way but it takes time and I want it to be simple as possible especially because I can't look at the dictionary every 2 seconds .

Cdesja5 · 06-15-2012, 06:57 AM

It appears that the Japanese model has a Japanese to Japanese dictionary however no Japanese to English... (says my daughter who is living in Japan for now).

Mujokan · 06-15-2012, 09:33 AM

I was wondering a bit about such functionality myself, so I thought I would have a go. I found one way that works though it probably isn't what you are looking for.

First you need the file in html format. Probably Calibre can convert, I don't know, or just rename the .epub to .zip, extract it and find the html file that contains the text.

Then open it on the ereader (rooted) in Opera Mobile. (I have a Nook Simple Touch.)

Set up a search engine like this. Tap in the icon in the search box at top right. Go to "Manage search engines". Long tap one to edit it. Change it to http://jisho.org/lite/words?jap=+%s

Then long tap on a word in the text, adjust the selection, hit select then search (with jisho.org set as the default engine). This will bring up the definition on jisho.org.

Probably this is not any use to you, but I tried it and it worked so I thought I might as well put it up in case it was informative to anyone out there..

06-14-2012, 07:07 AM	#1
nukito Enthusiast Posts: 32 Karma: 480444 Join Date: Jun 2012 Device: non yet	looking for Japanese reader with dic I'm looking for a Japanese Ereader. should be able to translate from japanese to english as well. another bonus could be translating from several languages to english. what is my best option? kindle or sony ? thank you .

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
PRS-T1 PRS-T1 Japanese version have japanese-english dic in it?	nukito	Sony Reader	2	06-14-2012 02:37 PM
Reader for Japanese (epub3 ?)	dodai	Which one should I buy?	9	06-14-2012 08:55 AM
E-reader for Japanese characters?	Stitchawl	Which one should I buy?	6	05-27-2011 03:16 AM
How to convert .dic to a standard text format?	tauro_kpo	Other formats	2	02-26-2010 07:40 AM
Does Sony Reader support Japanese?	tekchic	Sony Reader	7	11-30-2007 02:43 PM

06-14-2012, 07:21 AM	#2
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	You probably be best off with the Japanese version of the Sony PRS-T1.

06-14-2012, 07:31 AM	#3
nukito Enthusiast Posts: 32 Karma: 480444 Join Date: Jun 2012 Device: non yet	I just check it and found that the japanese prs-t1 doesn't have built in japanese to english dic. isn't it cheaper to but the us version and just add jap - en dic ?

06-14-2012, 07:55 AM	#5
nukito Enthusiast Posts: 32 Karma: 480444 Join Date: Jun 2012 Device: non yet	but how can I look words in the dictionary? it doesn't have japanese - english dic anyway. and I think looking up for words is more important for me right now because I am learning the language.

06-14-2012, 08:02 AM	#6
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	I'm afraid that I don't know of any reader which has a Japanese-English dictionary. You could always use a paper dictionary, of course.

06-14-2012, 08:22 AM	#7
nukito Enthusiast Posts: 32 Karma: 480444 Join Date: Jun 2012 Device: non yet	the problem is that in case you don't know how to read the word it can be very frustrating... and not all the books have furigana. what should I do? isn't there a way to use other dictionaries after hacking sony psr-t1 or kindle?

06-14-2012, 08:30 AM	#8
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	You can't add additional dictionaries to the Sony. You can add dictionaries to the Kindle, and the Kindle can display Japanese text (although only left-to-right, horizontally), but Japanese publishers haven't embraced the Kindle - I don't know how many Japanese books are available for it. The Kindle store lists a number of Japanese dictionaries. How well these work, I don't know.

06-14-2012, 08:53 AM	#9
nukito Enthusiast Posts: 32 Karma: 480444 Join Date: Jun 2012 Device: non yet	there is a way with coolreader for android, am I right? how well does it work? the dictionaries for kindle doesn't work well.

06-15-2012, 02:21 AM	#10
charmian Addict Posts: 386 Karma: 1814548 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Kindle 3, Kindle PW2	What are the formats of the Japanese books you seek to read? I would suggest getting an android tablet. There are multiple translation dictionary apps. Though, to be honest, I'd say just get an electronic dictionary and look it up there. Then you won't be burdened by needing to switch between programs.

06-15-2012, 05:08 AM	#11
nukito Enthusiast Posts: 32 Karma: 480444 Join Date: Jun 2012 Device: non yet	Japanese isn't that simple. If I don't know how to pronounce the word at all there is no way to use dictionary . that's way it is so important to me.

06-15-2012, 05:23 AM	#13
nukito Enthusiast Posts: 32 Karma: 480444 Join Date: Jun 2012 Device: non yet	of course there is a way but it takes time and I want it to be simple as possible especially because I can't look at the dictionary every 2 seconds .

Advert

Advert

06-15-2012, 06:57 AM	#14
Cdesja5 Wizard Posts: 1,117 Karma: 2094306 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Montreal, Canada Device: Lots and lots of electronic gadgets...	It appears that the Japanese model has a Japanese to Japanese dictionary however no Japanese to English... (says my daughter who is living in Japan for now).

06-15-2012, 09:33 AM	#15
Mujokan Connoisseur Posts: 77 Karma: 271776 Join Date: Jun 2012 Device: Nook Simple Touch	I was wondering a bit about such functionality myself, so I thought I would have a go. I found one way that works though it probably isn't what you are looking for. First you need the file in html format. Probably Calibre can convert, I don't know, or just rename the .epub to .zip, extract it and find the html file that contains the text. Then open it on the ereader (rooted) in Opera Mobile. (I have a Nook Simple Touch.) Set up a search engine like this. Tap in the icon in the search box at top right. Go to "Manage search engines". Long tap one to edit it. Change it to http://jisho.org/lite/words?jap=+%s Then long tap on a word in the text, adjust the selection, hit select then search (with jisho.org set as the default engine). This will bring up the definition on jisho.org. Probably this is not any use to you, but I tried it and it worked so I thought I might as well put it up in case it was informative to anyone out there..