How to Use This Guide
This is a resource guide for those who would like to study classical Japanese language and/or those who would like to read historical (pre 1868) documents written in "kuzushiji" (cursive style handwriting). Please note that most of the resources introduced in this guide are in Japanese only. The books introduced in this page are all available in East Asian Library (5th floor of Watson) unless noted otherwise.
Textbooks
Bungo ManualCall Number: PL531.3 .M37 1988 Watson LibraryISBN: 0939657481Publication Date: 1988Designed primarily as a reference tool for those who study classical Japanese.
Classical Japanese grammar illustrated with textsCall Number: PL533 .I4 Watson LibraryPublication Date: 1975
Japanese/English Dictionaries
- Japanese Character Dictionary with Compound Lookup Via Any KanjiCall Number: PL677.5 .S6 1989ISBN: 9780887271700Publication Date: 1994Convenient to look up the readings and meanings of Japanese words written in kanji. Includes 5,900 kanji characters and 47,000 multi-character compounds. Every compound is listed under its constituent characters.
NTC's New Japanese and English Character DictionaryCall Number: PL677.5 .N49 1993ISBN: 9780844284347Publication Date: 1993This dictionary provides the most widely accepted meanings of each kanji, followed by a detailed meaning and compound samples. Read "System of Kanji Indexing by Patterns (SKIP)" (p. 106 a-)to understand how to quickly locate character entries. EAL also has the 1990 edition (PL677.5 .N49 1990)
The New NelsonCall Number: PL679 .H33 1997 ReferenceISBN: 9780804820363Publication Date: 1997In addition to on/kun readings, this dictionary provides cross-reference to JIS code number and other dictionaries. Each entry is followed by list of compounds.
Librarian
Print Reference Materials : Kan-wa jiten (Japanese character dictionaries)
- 廣漢和辞典Call Number: PL677.5 .M6 ReferencePublication Date: 1981Based on 大漢和辞典 compiled by 諸橋, this 4 volume set dictionary introduces 20,000 kanji characters with 120,000 compound samples.
- 大漢和辞典 by Call Number: PL681.C5 M6 East Asian Reference, also available at Art LibraryPublication Date: 1955Known as "Morohashi Dictionary," this is the largest and most comprehensive Chinese character dictionary, Accompanied by indexes and a supplementary volume.
- Ueda's Daijiten: A Japanese Dictionary of Chinese Characters and Compounds. American Edition. by Call Number: PL681.G5 D35 1942 ReferencePublication Date: 1942This reprint, published by Harvard University in 1942, was mainly based on the 13th printing of the 1919 edition. The oldest modern Chinese-Japanese dictionary, but it is still frequently used.
- 角川大字源Call Number: PL677.5 .K327 1992 ReferencePublication Date: 1992Includes 12,300 kanji characters and 100,000 compound samples. Although this dictionary aims for assisting those who study Chinese classics, many samples are taken from Japanese classic works.
- 大漢語林Call Number: PL677.5 .K356 1992 ReferenceISBN: 4469031542Publication Date: 1992This dictionary includes 14,000 kanji characters, and is designed for general use.
- 漢語林Call Number: PL677.5 .K3 1994Publication Date: 1994A compact character dictionary designed for K-12 and for general users. Characters can be searched by radicals, readings and/or the number of strokes.
- 学研漢和辞典Call Number: PL677.5 .G35 1994 ReferenceISBN: 4051036901Publication Date: 1994A compact dictionary designed mainly for junior high school students. Includes 3,700 basic kanji characters and 28,000 compounds.
- 小学漢字学習辞典Call Number: PL681.C5 S5 1993 ReferenceISBN: 4039201302Publication Date: 1993Designed for elementary school students, this dictionary focuses on 1,006 kanji characters, all of which should be taught from K-6. Each kanji entry is accompanied with the correct stroke order.
Print Reference Materials : Kogo jiten (classic Japanese dictionaries)
- 角川古語大辞典 Kadokawa kogo daijitenCall Number: PL682 .K32 1982Publication Date: 1982-1984The largest among all existing classical Japanese dictionaries, this 5 volume contains 100,000 headwords, covering historical classical and colloquial terms. Available in East Asian Reference Collection,
- 江戸語辞典Call Number: PL525.5 .O38 1991 ReferenceISBN: 4490102976Publication Date: 1991This dictionary compiles words that developed during the Edo Period, but are not commonly used today. It also includes proper nouns and expressions.
- 平安時代複合動詞索引Call Number: PL585 .H45 2003 ReferenceISBN: 4792413753Publication Date: 2003Index to the compound verbs taken from the literally works in the Heian Period.
- 上代語辞典Call Number: PL675 .M275 ReferencePublication Date: 1967Compiles words mainly developed up to the Nara Period.
- 全訳古語例解辞典Call Number: PL675 .Z36 1998 ReferenceISBN: 4095015535Publication Date: 1998Includes 25,000 words. Many entries are supplemented by sample texts with modern translation.
- 江戸語事典 新装版Call Number: PL693.T5 E36 2004 ReferenceISBN: 479050512XPublication Date: 2004Originally published in 1971, this dictionary includes colloquial words used during the Edo period.
- 古語大鑑Call Number: PL682 .K785 2011 ReferencePublication Date: 2011-Designed for the researchers in the fields of language, literature, Buddhism, history, etc. v. 1-2 only.
Print Reference Materials: Kuzushiji (Cursive Style Writing)
- 日本難字異体字大字典Call Number: PL677.5 .N54 2012ISBN: 9784863610187Publication Date: 2012This dictionary lists the standard kanji and its variant characters in print as well as in cursive style handwriting samples.
- くずし字解読辞典Call Number: PL528 .K6 1984 ReferencePublication Date: 1979Originally published in 1970, this dictionary shows the variety of kanji in cursive style writing. Characters are divided by the style of first stroke.