# Chinese Character Database: With Word-formations, Phonologically Disambiguated According to the Cantonese Dialect
**Wikidata**: [Q108453336](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q108453336)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/chinese-character-database-with-word-formations-phonologically-disambiguated-according-to-the-cantonese-dialect

## Summary
The **Chinese Character Database: With Word-formations, Phonologically Disambiguated According to the Cantonese Dialect** (also known as **Lexi-can**) is a specialized online resource hosted by the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) that provides Cantonese phonological disambiguation for Chinese characters and their word formations. It serves as a linguistic tool for studying Cantonese pronunciation, character usage, and lexical structures, accessible via its official website in Traditional Chinese.

## Key Facts
- **Alias**: Known as **Lexi-can**.
- **Host Institution**: Developed and maintained by the **Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)**.
- **Website**: Available at [https://humanum.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/Lexis/lexi-can/](https://humanum.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/Lexis/lexi-can/) (in **Traditional Chinese**).
- **Language Focus**: Primarily serves **Cantonese** phonological disambiguation.
- **Wikipedia Presence**: Has a Wikipedia page in **Cantonese (zh_yue)**.
- **Sitelink Count**: Linked to **1** external site (likely its official page).
- **Classification**: Structured as a **website** (single-domain web resource).
- **Inception Context**: Websites as a class emerged around **1990**, though the exact launch date of Lexi-can is not specified in the provided data.

## FAQs

**What is the purpose of the Chinese Character Database (Lexi-can)?**
The database provides phonological disambiguation for Chinese characters specifically in the **Cantonese dialect**, helping users distinguish pronunciations and word formations unique to Cantonese. It is a critical resource for linguists, educators, and learners studying Cantonese lexicon and phonetics.

**Where can I access Lexi-can?**
The database is hosted online by the **Chinese University of Hong Kong** and can be accessed via its official URL: [https://humanum.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/Lexis/lexi-can/](https://humanum.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/Lexis/lexi-can/), presented in **Traditional Chinese**.

**Is Lexi-can available in languages other than Cantonese?**
The primary interface and content are in **Traditional Chinese**, with a focus on Cantonese phonology. There is no indication in the provided data of multilingual support beyond its Cantonese-centric design.

**How does Lexi-can differ from general Chinese character databases?**
Unlike generic databases, Lexi-can specializes in **Cantonese phonological disambiguation**, offering detailed word formations and pronunciation guides tailored to the Cantonese dialect rather than Mandarin or other Chinese variants.

## Why It Matters
Lexi-can addresses a critical gap in computational linguistics and Chinese dialect studies by providing a structured, searchable database for **Cantonese phonology**—a dialect with significant linguistic and cultural importance in Hong Kong, Macau, and Guangdong. For researchers, it offers a standardized reference for Cantonese character pronunciations, which often diverge from Mandarin. For educators and learners, it serves as a tool to clarify homophones, tones, and lexical nuances specific to Cantonese, preserving and documenting a dialect that faces pressure from Mandarin dominance. Its hosting by **CUHK**, a leading institution in Chinese studies, lends it academic credibility, making it a cornerstone resource for Cantonese linguistics.

## Notable For
- **Specialized Focus**: One of the few databases dedicated exclusively to **Cantonese phonological disambiguation** of Chinese characters.
- **Academic Backing**: Developed and maintained by the **Chinese University of Hong Kong**, ensuring scholarly rigor.
- **Unique Alias**: Marketed under the memorable name **Lexi-can**, distinguishing it from broader Chinese linguistic tools.
- **Traditional Chinese Interface**: Caters specifically to users of **Traditional Chinese**, aligning with Hong Kong and Macau’s writing standards.
- **Word-Formation Inclusion**: Goes beyond single-character pronunciations to include **compound word structures**, a rare feature in dialect-specific databases.

## Body

### **Overview and Purpose**
The **Chinese Character Database: With Word-formations, Phonologically Disambiguated According to the Cantonese Dialect** (Lexi-can) is a digital linguistic resource designed to resolve ambiguities in Cantonese pronunciation and usage. Unlike general Chinese character dictionaries that prioritize Mandarin, Lexi-can focuses on the **Cantonese dialect**, which has distinct phonological rules, tones, and lexical items. This specialization makes it invaluable for tasks requiring precise Cantonese phonetic data, such as computational linguistics, language education, and dialect preservation.

### **Hosting and Institutional Context**
Lexi-can is hosted under the **Humanum** project of the **Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)**, a prestigious institution known for its contributions to Chinese studies and linguistics. The database’s association with CUHK ensures its content is curated with academic precision, reflecting the university’s expertise in Cantonese and Chinese dialects. The **Humanum** portal ([humanum.arts.cuhk.edu.hk](https://humanum.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/)) serves as a hub for digital humanities projects, positioning Lexi-can alongside other scholarly resources.

### **Technical and Structural Features**
- **Web-Based Platform**: Lexi-can operates as a **website**, adhering to the technical definition of a single-domain set of related web pages. The platform’s inception aligns with the broader emergence of websites in the **1990s**, though its exact launch date is not documented in the provided data.
- **Language and Script**: The interface and content are presented in **Traditional Chinese**, the standard script in Hong Kong and Macau, ensuring accessibility for Cantonese-speaking users.
- **Phonological Disambiguation**: The core functionality involves distinguishing homophones and polyphones in Cantonese, providing users with accurate pronunciations for characters in different contextual or lexical environments.
- **Word-Formation Data**: Beyond individual characters, the database includes **compound word formations**, illustrating how characters combine to form Cantonese-specific terms, idioms, or phrases.

### **Accessibility and Usage**
Lexi-can is publicly accessible via its official URL: [https://humanum.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/Lexis/lexi-can/](https://humanum.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/Lexis/lexi-can/). The database’s design caters to:
- **Linguists and Researchers**: For studying Cantonese phonetics, tonal variations, and lexical evolution.
- **Educators and Students**: As a reference tool for teaching and learning Cantonese, particularly in distinguishing it from Mandarin.
- **Technology Developers**: For integrating Cantonese phonological data into speech recognition, text-to-speech systems, or language-learning applications.

### **Relationship to Other Resources**
- **Wikipedia Presence**: Lexi-can has a dedicated entry on **Cantonese Wikipedia (zh_yue)**, indicating its recognition within Cantonese-speaking communities and among linguists.
- **Sitelink Network**: The database is connected to **1 external sitelink**, likely its official page or a related CUHK project, reinforcing its integration into the digital ecosystem of Chinese linguistics.

### **Significance in Cantonese Linguistics**
Cantonese, as a major Chinese dialect, possesses unique phonological features not fully captured by Mandarin-centric resources. Lexi-can fills this void by:
1. **Preserving Dialectal Nuances**: Documenting pronunciations and word usages that risk erosion due to the dominance of Mandarin in formal education and media.
2. **Supporting Computational Applications**: Enabling the development of Cantonese-specific NLP tools, which are often overlooked in favor of Mandarin-focused technologies.
3. **Educational Utility**: Serving as a pedagogical aid for non-native learners and heritage speakers seeking to master Cantonese’s complex tonal and lexical systems.

### **Limitations and Scope**
While Lexi-can is a specialized tool, its scope is limited to **Cantonese phonology and word formations**. It does not appear to cover:
- **Other Chinese Dialects**: Such as Hakka, Shanghainese, or Hokkien.
- **Multilingual Interfaces**: The database remains in Traditional Chinese, without documented support for English or Simplified Chinese.
- **Historical or Etymological Data**: The focus is on contemporary phonological disambiguation rather than historical linguistic evolution.

### **Future Potential**
As digital humanities and computational linguistics advance, Lexi-can could expand to include:
- **API Access**: Allowing developers to integrate its data into third-party applications.
- **Multimedia Features**: Audio pronunciations or interactive tonal guides.
- **Cross-Dialect Comparisons**: Tools to contrast Cantonese phonology with other Chinese dialects or Mandarin.

In its current form, Lexi-can stands as a **pioneering resource** for Cantonese linguistics, bridging the gap between academic research and practical language tools. Its continued development could further solidify its role in preserving and promoting the Cantonese dialect in the digital age.