JEDict is a multilingual dictionary viewer capable to search all EDICT-formatted dictionaries from Monash University FTP Archive, WadokuJT, XDXF, BEDIC and EIJIRO dictionaries.
What's New
Version 4.7.1: Release notes were unavailable when this listing was updated.
Requirements
Intel/PPC, Mac OS X 10.4 or later
Intel/PPC, Mac OS X 10.4 or later
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JEDict is a multilingual dictionary viewer capable to search all EDICT-formatted dictionaries from Monash University FTP Archive, WadokuJT, XDXF, BEDIC and EIJIRO dictionaries.
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Bueller_007 reviewed on 10 May 2012
First, this software should be (more) free. It's for the most part merely an interface for the EDICT/KanjiDic volunteer projects. You have to pay more to access other volunteer projects such as the example sentences, and specialty dictionaries such as the one on Buddhism. I can understand that Sergey might want to charge for access to pay dictionaries such as Eijiro. But he should not charge for access to dictionaries that are compiled by volunteer effort.
Second, JEDict is updated so rarely (it's been more than a year since the last update), that it desperately needs a dictionary-update feature. New versions of EDICT, the main dictionary that JEDict uses, are made available nightly--often with hundreds of improvements made in a single day. The version of EDICT currently available in JEDict 4.7 is now woefully out-of-date. For instance, it was compiled before the Japanese tsunami on Mar. 11, 2011, after which HUGE efforts were made to improve EDICT's coverage of disaster terminology for tsunamis, nuclear reactors, etc. There needs to be a way to auto-update the dictionaries.
Kotoba! for iOS is now a far better (and completely free) alternative than JEDICT.
+177
Lately I've taken to simply using the built-in Dictionary app in OS X, which actually has very good Japanese-English dictionary (and an excellent Japanese-only dictionary, if you can read enough Japanese to use it), and I only turn to JEDict when I need some feature other than looking up words (like looking up individual characters, or compiling a list of words via the userdict).
I understand this is the work of a single developer who most likely has a day job or some other full-time occupation, and I think he's done us all a great service by at least maintaining it in a mostly-working state through all these years and major OS upgrades. But this app needs a complete teardown and redesign of the entire user interface, and I think it's going to take at least one professional UI/UX designer to pull it off. And unfortunately I also think this is such a niche product that Mr. Kurkin can't really be expected to hire a pro to sort this out properly.
What I'd really like to see is a Mac version of the excellent "Japanese" iPhone app (by "codefromtokyo"), which comes awfully close to matching most of JEDict's functionality, and does so with a fantastic, modern UI that is a pleasure to use (something I really can't say about JEDict).
For the time being, I'll be sticking with JEDict, since it's still the best tool (despite its many shortcomings). But I really hope to see a better alternative, someday.
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Beige reviewed on 13 Mar 2011
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Apple's Dictionary in OS X 10.5 actually has several Japanese-related dictionaries that are also quite excellent, and I recommend using those as well, but anyone who is at all serious about studying the language should really have JEDict too. I use both (and a handheld electronic one too), and they complement each other pretty well.
By the way, the browser feature is actually extremely useful if you take the time to learn why it was included in a dictionary. Try loading up any Japanese web page, select some text on the page, and the sidebar pops out with translations and definitions. And it's hardly "bloat"; WebKit views (i.e. the Safari engine) are provided by the OS, and very easily added to any Mac OS X application.
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Aikousha reviewed on 02 Oct 2006
The only reason I'm only giving 4 stars in ease of use, is, that with the major upgrade, a few things have become more difficult to use, with the change in interface. I already miss, just from testing out this version, the old 3 interface with regards to Kanji lookup.
A nice addition is the switching of kana and romanized output from the dictionary lookup results. I still have problems remembering some of the kana, and this keeps me from having to pull up my kana chart and squinting at it.
Though I'm not sure such a system exists, yet, a small step further with this would be cool... The ability to have the Macintalk system read this when double-clicked. (I want to see (hear?) a Japanese version of Macintalk, not just English and Spanish). ^_^
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Leoofborg reviewed on 05 Apr 2006
The browser feature is GREAT. Open a page from your toolbar bookmarks that you JUST had open in Safari in a WebKit browser, click on a word and the drawer comes out with all dict definitions. [set this in prefs].
Then copy, paste and print up what I call 'cluster word lists' and memorize the new term.
As the other user said, use the mouse to draw kanji like Windows or a VERY EXPENSIVE pocket dictionary, or third party Mac/Win IME. All that and there's no stylus to lose.
Grumbling about such an app that costs the price of dinner in Japan? Hah.
If you're a student and this is too expensive for you, then you can always just go out to Rikai.com and use that -other- tool for free. But you'll get the same or more info with JEDict.
+95
Now, about the support stuff - I haven't received a single bloody word from the author regarding the new version being out, even though as I have mentioned earlier, I have bought the license! WTF???
And yes, I don't really see ANY bloody reason for the upgrade. The thing is not even Universal binary!!! And I don't need a browser.
And what the f*** is wrong with the application not trying to tell me my old serial is wrong and just silently entering the "Unregistered" mode. I don't get it...
And yes, $25 is a price of dinner here in Japan and is not a problem at all to pay for a software which I use every single day. But I'd better take my wife and have a nice dinner here in Japan instead of upgrading to 4.0 for now reason at all.
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Albright reviewed on 01 Mar 2006
Anonymous reviewed on 11 Nov 2005
well.. i can understand you on that one, but most of the other edict readers on this site aren't free either.
I think JEDict is definitely the best. Why? you don't have to copy and paste and switch to the dictionary to program to look up a word. Just select the word you're trying to look up, and hit command+' and boom, starts JEDict (if necessary) and looks up the word like that. also, if you come accross a kanji you can't read in print (so you can't copy and paste) then you can use the draw tool just like the IME tool in windows. just write the kanji and it will look it up like that. very cool.. I'll pay 25$ for a reader and then some instead of 10$ for just a reader any day.