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encyclopedia
A comprehensive reference work containing information on a wide range of subjects, arranged alphabetically or thematically.
百科事典を読む。
To read an encyclopedia.
オンライン百科事典は便利だ。
Online encyclopedias are convenient.
百科事典で分からないことを調べた。
I looked up something I didn't understand in the encyclopedia.
子どものとき、百科事典で動物のことをよく調べた。
When I was a child, I often looked up things about animals in the encyclopedia.
インターネットの普及で、紙の百科事典はあまり使われなくなった。
With the spread of the internet, paper encyclopedias are no longer used much.
百科事典 literally means "hundred-subjects dictionary" — a comprehensive reference work covering all fields of knowledge.
WORD FORMATION:
百科 (hundred subjects) + 事典 (reference book). Note: 事典 (reference of things) vs. 辞典 (dictionary of words) — both are read じてん but have different kanji.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 百科事典で調べる: to look up in an encyclopedia
- 電子百科事典: electronic encyclopedia
- オンライン百科事典: online encyclopedia
RELATED:
- 辞典/辞書: dictionary
- 図鑑: illustrated reference book (for plants, animals, etc.)
- 用語集: glossary