docs/dictionaries.md


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## Dictionaries

You must download and import the dictionaries you wish to use in order to enable Yomitan definition lookups. There are several free dictionaries available for Yomitan, some of them with glossaries available in different languages.

Be aware that non-English dictionaries generally contain fewer entries than their English counterparts. Even if your primary language is not English, you may consider also importing the English version for better coverage.

### Recommended Dictionaries

#### Japanese

- [Jitendex](https://github.com/stephenmk/Jitendex) - An improved version of JMdict for Yomitan. It features better formatting and some other improvements, and is actively being improved by its author.
- [JMdict](https://github.com/themoeway/jmdict-yomitan#jmdict-for-yomitan-1) - There are daily automatically updated builds of JMdict for Yomitan available in this repository. It is available in multiple languages and formats, but we recommend installing the more modern Jitendex for English users.
- [JMnedict](https://github.com/themoeway/jmdict-yomitan#jmnedict-for-yomitan) - Lists readings of person/place/organization names and other proper nouns.
- [KANJIDIC](https://github.com/themoeway/jmdict-yomitan#kanjidic-for-yomitan) - An English dictionary listing readings, meanings, and other info about kanji characters.
- [BCCWJ Frequency Dictionary](https://github.com/toasted-nutbread/yomichan-bccwj-frequency-dictionary) - A frequency dictionary based on the Balanced Corpus of Contemporary Written Japanese.

#### Other Languages

- [KTY](https://github.com/themoeway/kaikki-to-yomitan) - Wiktionaries in various languages converted to Yomitan format.
- [KRDICT/STDICT](https://github.com/Lyroxide/yomitan-ko-dic/releases) - Korean dictionaries for Yomitan.
- [words.hk for Yomitan](https://github.com/MarvNC/wordshk-yomitan) - A free Cantonese-English and Cantonese-Cantonese dictionary for Yomitan.
- [CC-CEDICT for Yomitan](https://github.com/MarvNC/cc-cedict-yomitan) - A free Chinese-English dictionary for Yomitan.
- [Wikipedia for Yomitan](https://github.com/MarvNC/wikipedia-yomitan) - All of Japanese and Chinese Wikipedia in Yomitan.

#### EPWING Dictionaries

Yomitan supports dictionaries in the esoteric but popular [EPWING](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/EPWING) format. They were often utilized in portable electronic dictionaries similar to the ones pictured below. These dictionaries are often sought after by language learners for their correctness and excellent coverage of the Japanese language.

Unfortunately, as most of the dictionaries released in this format are proprietary, you will need to procure these dictionaries yourself and import them using [Yomitan Import](https://github.com/themoeway/yomitan-import). Check the project page for additional details.

![Pocket EPWING dictionaries](../img/epwing-devices.jpg)

### Bulk Importing Dictionaries

Yomitan also supports exporting and importing your entire collection of dictionaries.

#### Importing a Dictionary Collection

- Go to Yomitan's settings page (click on the extension's icon then click on the cog icon from the popup)
- Click `Import Dictionary Collection` and select the database file you want to import
- Wait for the import to finish then turn all the dictionaries back on from the `Dictionaries > Configure installed and enabled dictionaries` section
- Refresh the browser tab to see the dictionaries in effect

#### Exporting the Dictionary Collection

- Click `Export Dictionary Collection` from the backup section of Yomitan's settings page
- It will show you a progress report as it exports the data then initiates a
  download for a file named something like `yomitan-dictionaries-YYYY-MM-DD-HH-mm-ss.json`
  (e.g. `yomitan-dictionaries-2023-07-05-02-42-04.json`)

### Importing and Exporting Personal Configuration

Note that you can also similarly export and import your Yomitan settings from the `Backup` section of the Settings page.

You should be able to replicate your exact Yomitan setup across devices by exporting your settings and dictionary collection from the source device then importing those from the destination.