Search-only forms

[Jim Breen]

A number of surface forms are being included in the JMdict/EDICT
database purely for the purpose are enabling them to be used as search
keys. The JMdict editors have identified a number of these forms
which, although not considered appropriate for inclusion and display
in dictionary entries, are used "in the wild" enough for them to be
useful for looking up entries. This practice of having search-only
forms can be seen in several online dictionaries, for example the
Kenkyusha site allows the 手古摺る entry to be found using 手こずる as a
search key although that form does not appear in the entry.

These search-only forms are being added at the ends of the sets of
surface forms and are being given the tags/attributes of "sK" for
forms containing kanji and "sk" for kana-only forms.

It is strongly suggested that developers of dictionary apps and sites
use these forms for searching purposes, but not show them as part of
the full entry. This approach is currently implemented in the WWWJDIC
server, where a search for 三蜜 will retrieve the ３密/三密 entry but not
show 三蜜 in the entry.
Examples:
https://www.edrdg.org/cgi-bin/wwwjdic/wwwjdic?1MDJ%BB%B0%CC%AA
https://www.edrdg.org/cgi-bin/wwwjdic/wwwjdic?1MDJ%A5%AB%A5%CD%A5%ED%A5%CB%A1%BC

Cheers

Jim




--
Jim Breen
Adjunct Snr Research Fellow, Japanese Studies Centre, Monash University
http://www.jimbreen.org/
http://nihongo.monash.edu/

[Jim Breen]

I have made a minor tweak to the way these search-only keys are
handled in WWWJDIC. Now if an entry has such keys, a [Sch] link is
shown at the end of the entry display. If you click on it you will see
a list of the search-only keys in the entry.

Example: https://www.edrdg.org/cgi-bin/wwwjdic/wwwjdic?1MDJ%F3%D5%CC%C0%B4%FC

Jim