(Ecns.cn)--After eight years of compilation, the 11th edition of the prestigious reference book, "Xinhua Zidian," or literally "New China Dictionary," has once again garnered national attention after being launched at the beginning of July.
"Since its first debut in 1953, 450 million copies have been sold, making it the largest circulating language-tool in the world and it has had a far-reaching influence for those learning the Chinese language," said Zhou Hongbo, deputy editor-in-chief of the Commercial Press, the dictionary's publisher.
58 years of glory
If dictionaries are often regarded as an invisible teacher, then the 58-year old "Xinhua Zidian" should be considered a qualified Chinese master.
The pocket-sized dictionary of Chinese characters uses simplified Chinese characters and Pinyin Romanization. It also includes traditional Chinese characters and other variants.
The comprehensive content of this book has gained it a good reputation. The first edition was compiled by the linguist and lexicographer, Wei Jiangong, along with other experienced scholars. Their knowledgeable background and strict working attitude made the first version a trustable one.
In the following decades, the book has been revised ten times to keep pace with societal changes.
As learning Chinese and opening new Confucius Institutes have become a global trend, the book will play an even more important role in the future.
