Custom Dictionary Guide

Add professional terms and common expressions to make Translation Input Method understand your field

· · 6 min read

General translation engines often struggle with specialized terminology. "Buffer" should translate to "缓冲区" (buffer memory) in computing, but "缓冲液" (buffer solution) in chemistry. Custom dictionaries let you define precise translation mappings for your professional domain, making repeated terminology more consistent.

This tutorial covers everything from creating dictionaries and adding terms to bulk import/export and multi-device sync. Whether you're a developer, translator, doctor, or lawyer, custom dictionaries will deliver more accurate translation results for your specific needs.

1 Creating a Custom Dictionary

Translation Input Method supports creating multiple independent custom dictionaries, making it easy to organize terms by professional domain or use case.

Step-by-Step Guide

Open Dictionary Manager
Go to Settings → Dictionary Manager → Custom Dictionaries, or use Ctrl+Shift+P to open settings and navigate to the dictionary page.
Create New Dictionary
Click "New Dictionary," enter a name (e.g., "IT Terms," "Medical Vocabulary") and a brief description.
Set Language Pair
Choose the source and target languages for the dictionary. A single dictionary can contain translations for multiple language pairs.
Activate Dictionary
After creation, make sure the dictionary toggle is set to "Active" — entries will only appear in translation candidates when the dictionary is active.

Recommended Dictionary Types

Professional Terminology

Industry-specific technical terms like IT/programming, medical, legal, and financial vocabulary. Ensures consistent translation of core domain terms.

Abbreviations

Common industry abbreviations and their full translations, such as API → Application Programming Interface, SaaS → Software as a Service, ECG → Electrocardiogram.

Common Phrases

Frequently used expressions, email templates, and client communication phrases — output complete phrases with a single keystroke.

Company / Product Names

Standardized translations for company names, product names, and brands to ensure consistent naming in external communications.

2 Adding and Managing Terms

Manually Adding Entries

In the Dictionary Manager, click "Add Entry" and fill in the following fields:

  • Source text (required): The text in the source language to be translated
  • Translation (required): The corresponding translation in the target language
  • Part of speech (optional): Noun, verb, adjective, etc. — helps the system match more accurately
  • Notes (optional): Usage context or important considerations
  • Priority (optional): High / Medium / Low — higher priority entries rank higher in candidate lists

Quick Add Methods

Besides manually adding entries in settings, there are faster approaches:

Keyboard Shortcut

After translating text, press Ctrl+D to add the current translation pair directly to your default dictionary. A confirmation dialog appears where you can modify the translation or select a different target dictionary.

Term Management Tips

  • Add synonyms: Create multiple translation candidates for one source term — e.g., "debug" can map to both "调试" and "排错"
  • Set context: The same word may need different translations in different contexts — use the "notes" field to document usage scenarios
  • Regular reviews: As industry terminology evolves, periodically review and update your dictionary content
  • Mark frequency: Set the most frequently used translations to high priority to reduce selection time

3 Import and Export

Translation Input Method supports bulk importing and exporting dictionary data, making it easy to rapidly build large professional glossaries or share with your team.

Supported File Formats

Format Extension Encoding Description
CSV .csv UTF-8 Most universal format, comma-separated — recommended
Plain Text .txt UTF-8 Tab-separated, one entry per line — simple and direct
Excel .xlsx — Data must be in the first worksheet

CSV Template

CSV format example (UTF-8 encoding):
source,translation,part_of_speech,notes,priority
API,Application Programming Interface,noun,programming term,high
Debug,调试,verb,development common,high
Refactor,重构,verb,code optimization,medium
Middleware,中间件,noun,system architecture,medium
Scalability,可扩展性,noun,system design,low

Import Steps

  1. In the Dictionary Manager, select the target dictionary (or create a new one)
  2. Click "Import" and choose the file format
  3. Upload your prepared dictionary file
  4. Preview the imported data and verify the format is correct
  5. Choose a conflict resolution strategy: Overwrite / Skip / Merge
  6. Confirm the import — changes take effect immediately

Export and Backup

Regularly exporting dictionary data is a good practice to prevent data loss:

  • Select the dictionary to export → Click "Export" → Choose format → Save file
  • Supports exporting individual dictionaries or all dictionaries at once
  • Exported files can be used for backup, migration, or sharing with team members

4 Cloud Sync Settings

If you enable account sync, check the current privacy policy and sync behavior first. For sensitive dictionaries, keep a local backup before syncing.

Enabling Sync

  1. Make sure you're logged in (Settings → Account)
  2. Navigate to Settings → Sync → Dictionary Sync
  3. Enable "Auto-sync custom dictionaries"
  4. Choose sync frequency: Real-time / Hourly / Daily

How Sync Works

Incremental Sync

Only changed entries are transmitted — no redundant transfers of entire dictionaries, saving bandwidth and time.

Conflict Resolution

When multiple devices modify the same entry simultaneously, the system keeps the latest version and maintains a history log.

Check Sync Privacy Before Uploading

Synced data uses end-to-end encryption — servers cannot read your dictionary content, protecting trade secrets.

Offline Cache

Dictionaries work normally even without internet. Changes sync automatically when connectivity is restored.

Privacy Note

If your dictionaries contain sensitive business information, you can disable cloud sync and use manual export/import to transfer files between devices. Learn more in our Privacy Policy.

5 Term Management Best Practices

Categorize

Create separate dictionaries for each industry or project — don't mix all terms into one. Activate or deactivate dictionaries when switching projects.

Team Collaboration

Create shared team dictionaries to ensure consistent terminology across all team members. Export and share with new members.

Continuous Improvement

Regularly review entry accuracy, remove outdated translations, and add newly emerging terminology. Keep dictionaries in sync with industry developments.

Regular Backups

Export a dictionary backup monthly and store it securely. Even with cloud sync, local backups remain your last line of defense for data safety.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many entries can I add to a custom dictionary?

Translation Input Method's custom dictionaries have no hard limit — you can add as many entries as you need. However, for optimal performance, we recommend keeping individual dictionary files under 100,000 entries. If you have extensive specialized vocabulary, create multiple categorized dictionaries (e.g., Medical, Legal, Technical) and activate them based on your current work context.

What file formats are supported for dictionary import?

Translation Input Method supports CSV, TXT, and Excel (.xlsx) formats for import. CSV is the most universal format — it requires UTF-8 encoding and at minimum "source" and "translation" columns, with optional "part of speech," "notes," and "priority" columns. TXT format uses tab separation with one entry per line. Excel format requires data in the first worksheet. We recommend downloading a template file before importing.

Can custom dictionaries sync across multiple computers?

Yes. After logging into your Translation Input Method account, custom dictionaries automatically sync to all your signed-in devices via the cloud. Sync uses incremental updates — only changed entries are transmitted, so it won't affect your network speed. If you prefer not to use cloud sync, you can manually transfer dictionary files between devices using the export/import feature.

Make Translation IME Understand Your Field

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