11 Oct, 2006 in
Chinese Studies . Tags:
best-useful-top-list-complete; Chinese Studies;
Fili's world
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Reading Chinese for those not Chinese born is a difficult task. I've seen some good Chinese students stay away from reading Chinese material because they figured it's an impossible task.
So, here's my small guide on how a Chinese beginner, such as myself, can read through Chinese based websites using simple extensions provided for the Firefox browser.
In my humble opinion, and I know some would disagree, Mozilla Firefox is the ultimate browser. It's not because Internet Explorer has security bugs, and not because Opera isn't a great piece of software, but rather because there's a big community of coders built around Firefox to provide it with endless extensions to give extra functionality. Mozilla Firefox is a great browser as an out-of-the-box, but it's the extensions that make this browser perfect. I've found an extension for all my online needs – blogging, web development, social tagging, website tweaking, comment tracking, and most important – Chinese web browsing.
Following is a short list of extensions that I've used which would help you get through reading Chinese websites easily. All the extensions are free to use unless mentioned otherwise :
Website and section translation extensions
- FoxLingo provides full webpage translation using all possible translation sites (Google, Altavista, etc.) through an easy to use toolbar.
- gTranslate will translate sections you highlight and right click using Google Translate service for simplified-Chinese.
- Translate will forward the page you're on to Altavista's Babelfish and translate it to/from both traditional and simplified Chinese.
- East Asian Translator will translate webpages and selected passages from Chinese using Excite
- ImTranslator has a small box interface to translate to/from Chinese. There's a nice useful feature of double-translation, translating to Chinese and then back again to give you a feel of what was changed or lost during the translation.
Hovering extensions
- DictDN will give a translation for a Chinese word you hover over with audio support.
- ChinesePera-kun is an excellent tool that "will popup the pinyin reading and English definition when you mouse over Chinese in Simplified or Traditional characters."
- Hanzibar will add a dedicated tools bar and translate the characters you point at. Full version available for purchase with some extra features.
- Adso is another popular tool based on Adsotrans, but a bit more complicated to install since it runs on Greasemonkey. Instructions available on Chinese-forums.com .
Other
If you've studied only Traditional Chinese and are reading a Simplified Chinese website or vise-versa, check out Tong Wen Tang (translated).
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My combo recommentdation : FoxLingo (website), gTranslate (phrases), ChinesePera-kun (hoovering) and Tong Wen Tang (to Traditional-Chinese). What's your combo?
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Are you using any other Firefox extensions for reading Chinese? Know of any other language tools for Firefox? Please comment here or write me and let me know
hhr.lostlaowai.com | October 11th, 2006 at 4:21 pm #
The Top Firefox extensions to help you read Chinese online
Struggling to make your way through China’s websites and Chinese online content? This article provides a comprehensive collection of Mozilla Firefox plugins to help non-Chinese easily read online Chinese content.
The Humanaught | October 11th, 2006 at 5:04 pm #
It’s funny, I very nearly Hao’d the Lost Laowai post regarding Chinese learning software that refers to many of these plugins. :-) It’s amazing how much time people have invested into these addons. Come to think of it, most of my sites are the direct result of my Chinese studying procrastination – I’m betting these are the same for the authors :-)
fiLi | October 11th, 2006 at 5:29 pm #
Heh :P
Well, some of those plugins are very simple in that they use an existing dictionary technology only Integrating that with Firefox.
What I’m constantly impressed with is that the coolest tools, like that new version of Pligg you got installed, are all completely free to use, some even open-source. WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, Firefox… unreal.
So, you’ve started seriously studying Chinese?
fiLi | October 11th, 2006 at 5:41 pm #
BTW – I like your list. Did you see the China-start list ? : http://chinese-dictionaries.mychinastart.com/
The Humanaught | October 12th, 2006 at 4:37 am #
Man, that list is fantastic! I’m cruising the Chinese Etymology now :-)
人非章鱼 » Blog Archive » DictCN：实用的FireFox的翻译扩展 | October 22nd, 2006 at 5:03 am #
[...] 在一位东方文化研究者的blog上看到了一些列的翻译扩展的列表，其中的DictCN刚好能满足我的需要。 [...]
The best tools to help you with your Chinese studies and translations » fiLi’s world | December 19th, 2006 at 1:01 pm #
[...] There are quite a few Firefox extensions to help you with reading Chinese online. The full list I previously wrote about is available in “Top Firefox extensions to help you read Chinese online“, but of all the extensions, I recommend 3. In order to use those you’ll first need to download and install Firefox, and then click on the links and press on “install” : [...]
Pandapassport | February 22nd, 2007 at 3:44 pm #
Hey man,
That is a pretty cool list. My list only touched on a few of those, but it’s great to see that there are more options out there.
Nice site Fili! Good job with Chinalyst!
@Ryan: Dude, you’re everywhere!
FF的阅读中文插件 · Tao道-博客黑洞 | February 24th, 2007 at 7:40 am #
[...] 这篇文章教导老外如何用FIREFOX插件阅读翻译中文。 翻译翻译 [...]
In Beijing » Blog Archive » Read Chinese online with Chinese pop-up dictionaries for Firefox | August 30th, 2007 at 4:01 pm #
[...] Adso firefox plugin (free) There’s a summary of these and some other Chinese learning tools here. [...]
Gilad | January 8th, 2008 at 6:58 am #
Also you can use Quick Translation (qtl)
mike dunn | January 5th, 2009 at 9:53 pm #
Glad to see they didn’t call you up to Gaza,Fili. Some great stuff to read today! You’re the best,man.
My problem will reveal my idiocy. My mainland Chinese friends email me,but all that appears is a series of boxes,or squares, much as if I were to write them:
oooooooo ooooooooo ooooooooo ooooooo
ooooooo oooooooo ooooooo oooooooo…You get the point. I’ve tried a variety of ‘solutions’, nothing works! Please help me from going even further insane! Help,please!!!! Xie xie mike dunn ekimnnud@gmail.com
You’re gonna be a superstar soon! You are a real trip!!! Unique!
mike dunn | January 9th, 2009 at 4:38 pm #
Hail fiLi!
i’m one of your most ardent supporters. Anything i can do for you?? just name it. Have a great day,Mike Dunn/ekimnnud@gmail.com