Research On Definition By Synonym In Modern Chinese Dictionary (Edition 6)

Definition by synonym, used for a long time, is common in dictionaries, which plays an important role in the development of the lexicography. The study of definition by synonym has a profound effect. Modern Chinese Dictionary is one of the most authoritative medium-sized Chinese dictionaries in China at present. The edition in 2012(hereafter referred to as MCD 6) is the newest and on behalf of the highest level. Therefore, we study the MCD 6 to analyze definition by synonym in order to give some advice on the improvement of definition.In Charter 1, this paper elaborates the purpose and significance of the study on definition by synonym and introduces related researches at home and abroad, especially the study of its use in MCD 6. Then we point out the main contents and methods. In Charter 2, the paper tries to define it from the denotation and connotation, and then analyze its advantages. we think it is a method of using synonyms to define words, including defining “morpheme”, “phrase”, “word” added enclosed notes that cannot be a phrase with synonyms, definition by synonym with other definition modes. It is concise and explicit. It can help readers make a synonym semantic field. In Charter 3, we comprehensively study and analyze the definition by synonym in MCD 6. We have statistics about the number of synonyms, stylistic styles and grammatical attributes. We find the number of definitions using the mode is large. Definition by synonym has lots of kinds and is used widely and unevenly. Charter 4 is the most important part in the paper. We find some synonym denoting words are inadequate in MCD 6 and try to revise and improve them. There are some problems like non-equivalence of semantic, the distortion and invalidation of the meanings, the improper selection of explanatory words and some semantic items are not clear. We give some advice as follows. Denoting synonyms should be properly marked, listed in the dictionary and defined, noted when needed and used with other definition modes. And then we analyze and compare different editions of MCD. We discover that definition by synonym mode is improving and the number of the definition mode is reducing generally. In Chart 5, we summarize the paper and think definition by synonym won’t disappear in dictionaries and it will be more diverse.