Introduction: Why Bother with Custom Dictionaries?
KOReader's power lies in its deep customizability, and nowhere is this more apparent than in its dictionary support. While the application is exceptionally capable, its default dictionaries may not cover every language or specific need out of the box. For instance, while it offers English-to-Swedish and Swedish-to-English dictionaries, a monolingual Swedish-to-Swedish dictionary is notably absent. This can be a significant gap for users who read primarily in their native language and simply want to look up definitions without translation.
Fortunately, KOReader's flexibility allows you to install your own custom dictionaries. This tutorial provides a complete, step-by-step guide to finding, installing, and configuring third-party dictionaries to perfectly tailor your reading experience.
What You'll Need
• An e-reader with KOReader installed.
• A computer to download and transfer files.
• A USB cable to connect the e-reader to the computer.
Part 1: Finding and Downloading Your Dictionary
Your first task is to source a dictionary in the KOReader-compatible StarDict format.
1. Understand the Format: KOReader uses the StarDict dictionary format, a robust and widely-supported open-source format, ensuring a vast library of community-created dictionaries is available.
2. Recommended Source: An excellent and reliable source for a wide variety of languages is the "eBook reader dictionary" repository on GitHub. It hosts numerous dictionaries ready for download.
3. Download Instructions: Navigate to the recommended GitHub repository. Find the language you need and locate the StarDict version of the dictionary. These files are typically packaged in a
.zip archive. Download this file to your computer, and once downloaded, unpack or unzip it to access the dictionary files within.Pro-Tip: After unzipping, you should see a folder containing at least three files with the same base name but different extensions:
.ifo, .idx, and .dz. This is the complete StarDict set.Part 2: Installing the Dictionary on Your E-Reader
With the dictionary files downloaded and unzipped, the next step is to sideload them onto your e-reader's storage.
1. Connect Your Device: Using a USB cable, connect your e-reader to your computer. Your device should prompt you to enter file transfer mode. On a Kobo, for example, you will need to tap "Connect" on the screen.
2. Locate the KOReader Folder: On your computer, browse the files on your e-reader. For Kobo devices, the KOReader installation is located in a hidden folder named
.adds at the root of the device. Navigate into .adds, and then into the koreader folder.3. Find the Dictionaries Folder: Inside the
koreader folder, open the data folder. Within data, you will find the dictionaries folder.4. Copy the Files: Copy the unpacked dictionary files (the ones you extracted from the
.zip archive in Part 1) and paste them directly into this dictionaries folder.5. Disconnect Safely: Once the file transfer is complete, safely eject or unmount your e-reader from your computer before unplugging the USB cable.
Part 3: Configuring the Dictionary Within KOReader
Now that the files are on your device, you need to configure KOReader to use the new dictionary.
1. Open KOReader: Start the KOReader application on your e-reader.
2. Navigate to Dictionary Settings: Tap the top of the screen to bring up the main menu. From the top menu, navigate to:
🔍 (Search Icon) > Dictionaries > Settings.3. Manage Dictionaries: Your newly installed custom dictionary should appear automatically in the list. Tap on Manage dictionaries to see all available dictionaries. In this menu, you can:
◦ See a list of all installed dictionaries.
◦ Enable or disable specific dictionaries using the checkboxes next to their names.
◦ Reorder the dictionaries by tapping on one and using the up/down arrows. This is important: the dictionary at the top of the list will be the primary one used for lookups.
4. Recommended Settings: For an improved dictionary experience, it is recommended to enable the following options in the main dictionary settings menu:
◦ Enable Enable fussy search: This is highly recommended as it allows KOReader to find word variations, such as plurals, conjugations, and even minor misspellings, making lookups much more effective.
◦ Enable Dictionary lookup history: This keeps a log of words you've looked up, which is useful for review or vocabulary building.
5. Adjust Font Size: In this same settings menu, you can adjust the font size for the dictionary results to improve readability.
Part 4: Using Your New Dictionary
With the installation and configuration complete, your new dictionary is ready to use.
Open any book in KOReader. To look up a word, simply long-press on the word. A pop-up window will appear, displaying the definition from the primary dictionary you set in the previous step.
Conclusion: A Richer Reading Experience
By following these steps, you can easily overcome the limitations of the default dictionary set and install any language you need. Adding custom dictionaries allows you to tailor KOReader to your specific reading habits, unlocking a more seamless and powerful scholarly reading experience, tailored precisely to your linguistic needs.
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