DDB Access 4+

DDB (Digital Dictionary of Buddhism) and CJKV-E (Classical Chinese) are collaborative works edited by Charles Muller, University of Tokyo. DDB Access gives access to DDB and CJKV-E from iPhone and iPad.

DDB Access is a free application. Any user may access the dictionary by entering "guest" as the username with no password. This will allow a total of 20 searches in each of the DDB and CJKV-E dictionaries in a 24-hour period.

Contributors can get unlimited access by submitting a 350+ word entry as specified at http://www.buddhism-dict.net/contribute.html

DDB and CJKV-E are primarily resources for scholars. Contributors are required to have completed a graduate degree to at least the equivalent of the M.A. level in graduate school program at a fully accredited university, where one has received direct formal training in the reading of classical East Asian Buddhist texts.

PARSE AND LOOKUP

Copy a full text and get all words with one click. DDB Access provides immediate access to unknown words, with links to related words (also in, contained) and character series (Kangxi, etymology).

Texts or individual words can be read aloud with Apple voices.

ETYMOLOGY

Along centuries, Chinese writing has developed a number of reference points, reasonable or simply traditional, well known by most Chinese: "Se non è vero, è ben trovato". Character series emphasize these reference points.

All character series available for the current character are easily accessible.

SEARCHES

Search dictionaries by Chinese, translation or pinyin.

DICTIONARIES

The application also includes general dictionaries for scholars working on Buddhist texts with literary or historical terminology, and a first demo of the "Couvreur" dictionary for Classical Chinese.

USER INTERFACE

User chooses to show pronunciations in Chinese, Japanese, Korean or Vietnamese.

Lookup is easily customizable to just show preferred details and keep presentation clear.

On iPad, landscape orientation (horizontal) can be used either in full screen (split window like on laptop) or multiple applications: the original reader on one side and DDB Access on the other side.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Michael Beddow developed and steadfastly maintained the DDB/CJKV-E servers for about two decades. Paul Hackett has now taken this responsibility.