In the digital age, information travels at unimaginable speeds. Recently, a ** revealed an incident that attracted public attention: a netizen claimed to have filed a legal action against the interpretation of "Xinhua Dictionary".
Since its launch, this dictionary has become an assistant for many Chinese students to learn Xi, and its authority and popularity go without saying. However, the netizen's accusations focused on certain definitions and usages of the dictionary, which he believed violated the Regulations on the Administration of Publications and the Patriotic Education Law of the People's Republic of China. On page 500 in particular, the definition of the word "play" is suspected to be sexual, the example of "don't" is violent, and the word "tired" is used to refer to children becoming a burden, implying inappropriate social values.
Not long ago, there were voices on social media that questioned some of the definitions of the "Xinhua Dictionary". The editorial office of Xinhua Dictionary has not taken any action to revise the content, which has disappointed many and raised further doubts. It is not easy for netizens to detect mistakes finely, and it is worthy of respect. Although China Publishing & Marketing Weekly mentioned as early as June that the Xinhua Dictionary had never included the word "倭寇" in its edition, supplemented by pictorial evidence, it seems that the Xinhua Dictionary has not given a clear answer to other controversial points.
Regarding these controversial contents, some people believe that some example sentences in the Xinhua Dictionary are intended to criticize some undesirable phenomena. For example, the word "play" may be a reminder not to objectify women, while the burden referred to by the word "tired" may reflect certain family situations. Even so, some netizens believe that "Xinhua Dictionary", as a Xi learning tool, its content should be constantly updated with the development of the times. With the improvement of the standard of living in society, outdated concepts and terms should be gradually abandoned. This includes negative expressions such as treating children as a burden, as well as the use of sexist words.
It is important to note that educational tools should convey positive and healthy values. How such a widely used tool is used to properly construct words and write example sentences has a direct impact on the worldview, values, and morals of the next generation. This is exactly what I expect from the editorial department of Xinhua Dictionary. For example, when interpreting the word "play", it is far more appropriate to use a description with figurative rhetoric, such as a raw ** image bounced up with grass, which is both figurative and neutral, than mentioning playing with gender.
Xinhua Dictionary has accompanied countless people from childhood to adulthood, and it carries learning Xi and memory, and has a far-reaching impact. The lawsuit by netizens may be a climax of the controversy over it. It is hoped that this will prompt the relevant authorities to pay more attention to these important educational resources, review and update their content, and ensure that they reflect the spirit of modern society, while cultivating sound human qualities and a sense of social responsibility.