Books on Chinese, Japanese, Korean and German

homepage| Linux (also: Japanese, Chinese)

Japan Links (2003)

PDAs, Pocket Translators & Electronic Dictionaries

The PDA I like most are those Zaurus PDAs which run under Linux. You'll find more information on that in the web. (2003)
Seiko SR-M6000, small, good jump function.
Zaurus

Japanese Dictionaries

Extensive Dictionary of Japanese with English Translation, 1998, ISBN 4-01-071811-0, Obunsha, (kokugo jiten with English)
Kodansha's: Good for learner's. There is a large version (ISBN 4-7700-1603-4)and a abridged version.
Sanseido's: Romaji..., portable, large vocabulary.
The Dictionary of Japanese Idioms, 2001, ISBN 4-255-00053-0: Japanese, with furigana
big onomatopoeic dictionary, 2002, ISBN 4-490-10610-6

Books for Learning 1st Japanese

Books for Learning More Japanese

Practical Business Japanese, 1993, ISBN 4-87234-235-6: Intermediate level; funny enough to compensate for the realities of Japanese business life
William McClure: Using Japanese, 2000, ISBN 0-521-64155-1
Unicom: The Preparatory Course for the Japanese Proficiency Test
Japan Times: 3 volumes with CDs. "C" is for Proficiency Test 4+3+some2, "B"is for 2+some(1), "A" is for 1.
Kazuko Shoji: Japanese Core Words & Phrases, 1999, ISBN 4-7700-2774-5,
Carolyn R. Krouse: Food Buying in Japan, ISBN0-8048-3472-5
Tadashi Ishido, Tadaaki Imaizumi: Animals & Plants of Japan (w. Furigana), 2001, ISBN 4-06-210951-4
Giles Murray: 13 Secrets for Speaking Fluent Japanese, 1999, ISBN 4-7700-2302-2
Practical Japanese Workbooks, ISBN 4-88324-..., Senmon Kyohiku Publ., 16 volumes as of 2002

Good Literature with Furigana

Genjimonogatari, ISDN 4-06-148415-X
S.Natsume: Wagahai wa neko de aru, ISDN 4-06-147182-1 + ISDN 4-06-147183-X (I+II)
S.Natsume: Botchan, ISDN 4-06-147125-2

Books for Learning Kanji

"Minna no Nihongo" series: Kanji I + Kanji II, 2001, ISBN 4-88319-147-8 + ISBN4-88319-202-4
Obunsha (publ.): 1006 Kanji, 2002, ISBN 4-01-013164-0 (very small, good to carry on train rides, with furigana for primary school students)
Y.Kanoh: Minna machigaeru kanji ga yomeru hon, 2003, ISBN 4-09-253534-1 (with furigana)
Y.Kanoh: Kanji to asobu, 2003, ISBN 4-89294-366-5 (with Doraemon!)
N.Shimomura:Kanjigakushuh, 1987/.../2003, ISBN 4-o3-920140-X (big book for systematic kanji learming)
all publications of Nippon Kanji Kyoiku Shinkokai
K.Shimura: Gakusguushinkanjijiten, 1998, ISBN 4-06-265314-1 (dictionary with furigana, for primary school students but not childish; )
H.Kegayama: Kanji purinto, 2002, ISBN 4-09-104392-5 (foer exercising, 1006 kanji)
H.Saiga/M.Nomura: Shohgakusei no kanji jiten, 2002, ISBN 4-09-501853-4 (dictionary for primary school students, with furigana, good Kanji writing hints)
Yaeko S. Habein: Decoding Kanji, 2001, ISBN 4-7700-2498-3

Books for Learning Colloquial Japanese

Yoko Tomisaka: nameraka nihongo kaiwa, ALC, 1997, ISBN 4-87234-635-1
Hitoko Sasaki, Hiromi Watanabe: Practical Japanese through Comics (I+II),2002, ISBN 4-87217-405-4 + ISBN 4-87217-406-2
H.Fukuda: jazz Up Your Japanese with Onomatopoeia, 1993/2003, ISBN 4-7700-2956-X
Akihiko Yonekawa: Beyond Polite Japanese, Kodansha, 2001, ISBN 4-7700-2773-7
Takuro Moriyama / Taro Adachi: bun no nobekata, Kuroshio, 2001, ISBN 4-87424-129-8

Manga & Anime

Beautiful Manga
Super Radical Gag Family (home): Hamaoka is in love with all of his gross and hilarious characters. Good arts. Conveys very well the kimochi of life in Tokyo Bay suburbia. (Intro manga: ISBN 4-253-05761-6, 1998)
Spirited Away: monster bath

Link update

Japan Links (2000/12)

Books on Chinese, Japanese, Korean and German (1996)

I learn Japanese and Chinese for fun and for dealing with customers. I have lots of books on these languages - too many, as only few I use regulary. Especially books on Japanese often are outrageously expensive. This page may help learners to save some money.
The books for German are used by my wife.

Chinese

Syrokomla-Stefanowska / Lee
Basic Chinese Grammar

For beginners; Sydney 1986; ISBN 0-9590735-1-5; ca. $30; traditional and simplified characters; very clear and concise structure. This book - and a Chinese friend or teacher - should be enough to start with the Chinese language.

Michael Harris Bond
Beyond the Chinese Face
(Insights from Psychology)

Yes, not a language book, but a book which helps to understand what is behind the words; Hongkong 1991; ISBN 0-19-585116-1;

Japanese

WWW: Jim Breen | E.F.Johnson

Hidenobu Aida
Pratiquez le japonais

Great small book, medium level; 1996; ISBN 2-266-06387-1; If you understand French, this is the book to brush up your Japanese. (The French also have other excellent materials on Japanese and other Asian languages.)

Martin Lam / Shimizu Kaoru
Kanji from the Start

(The title says it.)
1994; ISBN 4-7700-1936-X, ca. $30

Yoko Matsuoka McClain
Handbook of Japanese Grammar

1981; ISBN 0-89346-149-0 or ISBN 4-590-00570-0; I also heard of a (quite a bit more expensive) remake

Ashby
Read Real Japanese

Intermediate level; 1994; ISBN 4-7700-1754-5, ca. $14; small pocketbook

Fukuda
T-Shirt Japanese vs. Necktie Japanese

Intermediate level; 1995; ISBN 4-7700-1834-7, ca. $14; small pocketbook

Roy Andrew Miller
The Japanese Language in Contemporary Japan
(Some sociolinguistic observations)

Helps to avoid unpleasant surprises.
1977; ISBN 0-8447-3247-8; AEI-Hoover policy studies 22; Hoover Institution studies 58

Kodansha (publ.)
Romanized Japanese-English Dictionary

A learner's dictionary with many examples; 1993; ISBN 4-7700-1800-2 or 4-7700-1812-6

Collins /Shubun (publ.)
English-Japanese Dictionary

Also a learner's dictionary with many examples; 1993; ISBN 0-00-433405-1 or 4-87063-469-7

Korean

Publisher: Fullbright Comission
Survival Korean

For beginners; with tapes

German

H. Taylor / W. Hass
German (A Self-Teaching Guide)

For beginners; ISBN 0-471-82756-8; cassette tapes available

P.F.Doring
Colloquial German

For beginners; ISBN 0-7100-0482-6, ca. $9

Jutta Mller / Heiko Bock
Grundwortschatz Deutsch (�ungsbuch)

Intermediate level; fun to work with; 1991; ISBN 3-468-49419-X, ca. $12

Joy Saunders
German Verb Handbook

1993; ISBN 2-8315-1351-0, ca. $9

2001, Goetz Kluge

Japan Links (2003)

PDAs, Pocket Translators & Electronic Dictionaries

Japanese Dictionaries

Books for Learning 1st Japanese

Books for Learning More Japanese

Good Literature with Furigana

Books for Learning Kanji

Books for Learning Colloquial Japanese

Manga & Anime

Link update

Japan Links (2000/12)

Language

life in Japan

Gaijin Communities

eGroups

People

strange

Books on Chinese, Japanese, Korean and German (1996)

Chinese

Syrokomla-Stefanowska / Lee Basic Chinese Grammar

For beginners; Sydney 1986; ISBN 0-9590735-1-5; ca. $30; traditional and simplified characters; very clear and concise structure. This book - and a Chinese friend or teacher - should be enough to start with the Chinese language.

Michael Harris Bond Beyond the Chinese Face (Insights from Psychology)

Yes, not a language book, but a book which helps to understand what is behind the words; Hongkong 1991; ISBN 0-19-585116-1;

Japanese

WWW: Jim Breen | E.F.Johnson

Hidenobu Aida Pratiquez le japonais

Great small book, medium level; 1996; ISBN 2-266-06387-1; If you understand French, this is the book to brush up your Japanese. (The French also have other excellent materials on Japanese and other Asian languages.)

Martin Lam / Shimizu Kaoru Kanji from the Start

(The title says it.) 1994; ISBN 4-7700-1936-X, ca. $30

Yoko Matsuoka McClain Handbook of Japanese Grammar

1981; ISBN 0-89346-149-0 or ISBN 4-590-00570-0; I also heard of a (quite a bit more expensive) remake

Ashby Read Real Japanese

Intermediate level; 1994; ISBN 4-7700-1754-5, ca. $14; small pocketbook

Fukuda T-Shirt Japanese vs. Necktie Japanese

Intermediate level; 1995; ISBN 4-7700-1834-7, ca. $14; small pocketbook

Roy Andrew Miller The Japanese Language in Contemporary Japan (Some sociolinguistic observations)

Helps to avoid unpleasant surprises. 1977; ISBN 0-8447-3247-8; AEI-Hoover policy studies 22; Hoover Institution studies 58

Kodansha (publ.) Romanized Japanese-English Dictionary

A learner's dictionary with many examples; 1993; ISBN 4-7700-1800-2 or 4-7700-1812-6

Collins /Shubun (publ.) English-Japanese Dictionary

Also a learner's dictionary with many examples; 1993; ISBN 0-00-433405-1 or 4-87063-469-7

Korean

Publisher: Fullbright Comission Survival Korean

For beginners; with tapes

German

H. Taylor / W. Hass German (A Self-Teaching Guide)

For beginners; ISBN 0-471-82756-8; cassette tapes available

P.F.Doring Colloquial German

For beginners; ISBN 0-7100-0482-6, ca. $9

Jutta Mller / Heiko Bock Grundwortschatz Deutsch (�ungsbuch)

Intermediate level; fun to work with; 1991; ISBN 3-468-49419-X, ca. $12

Joy Saunders German Verb Handbook

1993; ISBN 2-8315-1351-0, ca. $9

Syrokomla-Stefanowska / Lee
Basic Chinese Grammar

Michael Harris Bond
Beyond the Chinese Face
(Insights from Psychology)

Hidenobu Aida
Pratiquez le japonais

Martin Lam / Shimizu Kaoru
Kanji from the Start

(The title says it.)
1994; ISBN 4-7700-1936-X, ca. $30

Yoko Matsuoka McClain
Handbook of Japanese Grammar

Ashby
Read Real Japanese

Fukuda
T-Shirt Japanese vs. Necktie Japanese

Roy Andrew Miller
The Japanese Language in Contemporary Japan
(Some sociolinguistic observations)

Helps to avoid unpleasant surprises.
1977; ISBN 0-8447-3247-8; AEI-Hoover policy studies 22; Hoover Institution studies 58

Kodansha (publ.)
Romanized Japanese-English Dictionary

Collins /Shubun (publ.)
English-Japanese Dictionary

Publisher: Fullbright Comission
Survival Korean

H. Taylor / W. Hass
German (A Self-Teaching Guide)

P.F.Doring
Colloquial German

Jutta Mller / Heiko Bock
Grundwortschatz Deutsch (�ungsbuch)

Joy Saunders
German Verb Handbook