Translation apparatus which uses idioms with a fixed and variable portion where a variable portion is symbolic of a group of words

摘要

An electronic dictionary for storing a plurality of items such as idioms, where each item includes an entry string and information associated with the entry string. The entry string includes a first representative symbol representing a plurality of words having a prescribed common attribute. The information may include more than one representative symbol with each representing a separate group of words having a common attribute. An information retrieval apparatus identifies an input character string and an entry string by regarding the first representative symbol as being the same as any one of the words which the symbol represents, and outputs the information corresponding to the identified entry string. The dictionary enables information to be stored more efficiently and economically.