Check if your dictionary or e dictionary is approved for use in your Chinese composition exam!
Here’s the list of approved dictionaries according to the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board (SEAB). You can use any of these listed dictionaries for your primary school Higher Chinese paper 1 exam (composition writing) or Chinese paper 1 exam (composition writing). Most importantly, these are the dictionaries that can be used during your 2024 PSLE Chinese examination.
PSLE approved Chinese dictionary 2024
PSLE Chinese dictionaries that are approved:
- 新编学生实用词典（第七版增订本）by 新亚出版社
- 新编小学实用词典（第七版增订本）by 新亚出版社
- 新世纪学生华语词典 by 怡学出版社.商务印书馆
Approved e dictionaries for PSLE Chinese:
- Besta All Pass 1 by iKnow Pte Ltd/Ellton Enterprise Pte Ltd
- Besta All Pass S1 by Ellton Enterprise Pte Ltd
- Besta All Pass 2 by iKnow Pte Ltd/Ellton Enterprise Pte Ltd
- Besta All Pass S2 by Ellton Enterprise Pte Ltd
- Besta All Pass 3 by iKnow Pte Ltd/Ellton Enterprise Pte Ltd
- Besta All Pass 5 by Ellton Enterprise Pte Ltd
- Besta All Pass 6 by Ellton Enterprise Pte Ltd
- Hansvision PX2201 by Creative Knowledge Labs Pte Ltd
- Hansvision PX2181 by Creative Knowledge Labs Pte Ltd
- Hansvision PX2221 by Creative Knowledge Labs Pte Ltd
- Hansvision PX2131 by Creative Technology Ltd / Creative Knowledge Labs Pte Ltd
- Hansvision PX2101 by Creative Technology Ltd / Creative Knowledge Labs Pte Ltd
- Hansvision PX2051 by Creative Technology Ltd / Creative Knowledge Labs Pte Ltd
If you don’t see your dictionary in here, you can check if it’s one of the previously approved dictionaries over at SEAB’s site. If it’s there, you can still use it without needing to get a new one.
What kind of dictionary should I get for my primary school kid?
If cost is not an issue, it’s better to get an e-dictionary.
An e-dictionary offers more benefits as compared to the traditional book type dictionary.
First, pressing buttons is faster than flipping through the pages in the book dictionary. This is already a life-saver during your Chinese exam! Think about how the amount of time that you save can translate into more thinking time and writing time.
Besides that, if you are someone who has problem writing the Chinese characters, the functions of the e-dictionary can help you write better. You don’t need to know the full hanyu pinyin of the Chinese words or idioms, just type the first 2 or 4 letters of the pinyin and the word or idiom will magically show up! That’s so much easier to look for Chinese words and characters that you need, right?
What is the best Chinese e dictionary for psle?
I think all the e dictionaries have their own merits. However, here’s a comparison of the Besta All Pass S1, Creative PX2201 and ZZ-New-A+ if you want to check it out.
A secret tip for getting your dictionary at a better price
If you are buying your e-dictionary at the start of the year, try gathering a few friends with primary school kids to bulk buy your dictionaries.
I was able to get a small discount from the school bookshop from experience and saved some money for my class kids by doing that, so you might want to try your luck too!
