Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why JISHOP?

A: "Jisho" in Japanese means "dictionary". Or, when written as

, it means "character dictionary". P stands for "program". Pronounce it as "G-Shop".

Q: Was the data in JISHOP copied from any paper or electronic dictionary?

A: No. JISHOP is a completely independent lexicographical work. Other dictionaries were used for reference only. Read "Why JISHOP is the best" as compared to other dictionaries.

Q: What operating system can I use with JISHOP?

A: JISHOP 5.0 is supposed to work under any version of 32-bit Windows starting from 2000. Windows XP, Vista and 7 are OK. Under earlier versions you will probably have problems.

Q: Are there versions of JISHOP for different platforms?

A: There are mobile versions of JISHOP: JISHOP Mobile and JISHOP for iPhone. The development of a version for Mac is highly probable.

Q: Do I need Japanese fonts installed on my computer?

A: You need them only for some extra features: rich text mode, printing, magnificaiton and kanji drill. For the basic dictionary functions, JISHOP already contains built-in bitmapped fonts of all kanji and kana. If you prefer parametric fonts and have them installed, you can use them as well, after changing the settings.

Q: Can I input kanji directly from Japanese text on my computer?

A: Yes, you can use Copy-Paste for characters, compound words or bigger fragments in Unicode.

Q: Can I input kanji by drawing them on my display?

A: You can if you have IME-Pad installed (usually it is installed by default in the recent versions of Windows). Before drawing, please make sure you have put the cursor into "Reading" box of JISHOP main window. When the character you have drawn appears in this box, press P button or Enter key.

Q: Can JISHOP display stroke-order diagrams?

A: Yes, JISHOP is integrated with "Strokes", an application by Seva Alekseyev, which links JISHOP with SOD resources available online. Strike Ctrl-O to run it from the dictionary entry window.