Korean Job Discussion Forums

taobenli · Joined: 26 Apr 2004

I am looking for a good Korean-English/English Korean dictionary that I can busy online. I have a Basic bocket dictionary but it doesn't give me enough information. I am looking for one that uses hangul (no romanized ones!) and that gives examples, such as sample sentences. Elite and Si-sa both look like possibilities. I want it to be small enough that I can carry it around sometimes, even if the print is quite small.

Let me know if you have ideas, and also say where to order online, please.

Thank you!

JacktheCat · Joined: 08 May 2004

The best little dictionary I've come across is this little orange book ...

English-Korean Practical Conversation Dictionary by B.J Jones and Gene S. Rhie.

You can find it in just about every English bookstore in Korea (hard to miss, its very orange) or you can order it from Yesasia.com.

While it's slightly out of date, it provides a lot of really useful Korean words with their hanguel and the most common sentences they are used in as well as some idioms and slang.

taobenli · Joined: 26 Apr 2004

Yes, but it's all romanized, and that annoys me. First I need a good dictionary (preferably with sample sentences for some context) and THEN I'll go out and buy idiom books, reading practice books, etc.

JacktheCat · Joined: 08 May 2004

masuro · Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2004 6:06 pm Post subject:

Go to Kyobo's online bookshop. You can find lots of dictionaries there. I recommend Minjung dictionaries if you're looking for something small. The English-Korean Korean-English dictionaries come in seperate editions. They are real dictionaries and have example sentences and no useless Romanisation.

the saint · Joined: 09 Dec 2003 Location: not there yet...

taobenli · Joined: 26 Apr 2004

Sorry, JacktheCat, I wasn't trying to bute your hand! I will look into the dictionary you recommended....thank you.

As for those who recommended the Minjung dictionaries, would you recommend them over Elite and Si-sa?

My Korean professor said that yes, there are no truly good Korean dictionaries out there. She said that some of the better ones are online dictionaries.

I wonder why no one has come out with a good Korean dictionary for foreigners yet?

taobenli · Joined: 26 Apr 2004

Eh, "bite" your hand, not "bute."

taobenli · Joined: 26 Apr 2004

Okay- I've been looking for the recommended dictionaries online.

I've found:

Minjung's Pocket Korean-English English-Korean dictionary used for $26 (U.S.). Couldn't find any "Handy" dictionary by Mingju.

Minjung Hanja-Korean-Chinese-Japanese-English dictionary, which if it's good, could be a good tool for someone who know Chinese and/or Japanese.

I also saw Minjung's Korean-English English-Korean dictionary (not the Pocket kind) also for $26, used. I'm assuming it has more entries than the "pocket" edition?

Between the Minjung "pocket" and non-pocket, which do you think is best?

Thanks for all your help!

masuro · Posted: Sun Jun 27, 2004 2:32 pm Post subject:

I recommended the Minjung Handy Dictionaries because you were looking for something you can slip in your pocket. I myself use the Dong-A Prime dictionaries and, when I'm feeling confident, the Dong-A Korean-Korean dictionary. I'm reading a Korean novel set in the 19th Century and some of the words aren't in the Korean-English dictionary.
My wife has an electronic dictionary. It's small but pricey. And it's definitions aren't always as detailed as a big dictionary. But that's the price you pay for convenience, I suppose.
I hope you find something that suits your needs. I really recommend you visit a bookstore and flip through a few to see what you like.