JiShop is a powerful electronic dictionary designed to provide
comprehensive information about the Chinese characters used in Japanese, known as kanji.
In continuous development since 1995, JiShop is available
for download at
www.jishop.com.
JiShop differs from other electronic kanji dictionaries by its original look-up
system, which fully employs the advantages of a computer. There are no key elements
in JiShop; all radicals (632 versus traditional 214)
are treated equally. Instead of the laborious counting of strokes inevitable
in all paper dictionaries, a multi-radical search is provided. The options of
highlighting and compression
make navigation through the table of radicals simple and quick.
Search by traditional key radicals is also provided as an extra option.
From version 7.0, JiShop contains JiPad written input tool
as an alternative to the search by radicals.
JiShop also contains a phonetic dictionary. It stores
jukugo (compound words) used in kanji dictionary entries to illustrate
the usage of characters. The phonetic dictionary can be also used independently
to find compounds by their kanji writing, reading, or meaning.
The JiShop database is accurately and thoroughly compiled, amalgamating
the best of Japanese-English lexicography. Numerous paper sources
and resources from the Internet were researched to compile it. The main
emphasis of dictionary entries is on the actual practical usage
of kanji in modern Japanese.
Read "Why JiShop is the best" compared to other dictionaries.
The database is under continuous development. At the present moment,
it contains 5100 edited dictionary entries. The ultimate goal is to provide
entries for all 6355 characters from the computer set JIS X 0208 and for
about 100.000 compound and katakana words. Filling up the database is now the first priority
in the further development of the project (see Plans).
JiShop can function at three different levels: Concise, Plus, and Advanced.
| Concise | 1006 characters from the "Gakushu Kanji" list ("Educational Kanji") |
| Plus | 2136 characters from the "Joyo Kanji" list ("Kanji for daily use") |
| Advanced | All kanji (5100 characters in version 7.1; more to be added in the future) |
At the Concise level, all 1006 entries are shown in concise format.
When you install the program for the first time, it starts in evaluation mode, allowing
full use at the Advanced level for 30 days. After this trial period has expired, the software
will switch to the Concise level. To switch back to the Advanced or Plus levels, you will need to license your copy of JiShop.
A license will cover all the future versions and upgrades.