ydict

Ydict is a command-line dictionary tool that lets you quickly look up words without leaving your terminal. Instead of opening a browser or a separate app, you type a word and get the definition instantly. It's built for people who spend a lot of time working in the command line and want to stay in that environment.

The tool connects to Youdao, a popular online dictionary, and translates between Chinese and English. When you search for a word, it fetches the definition, shows you example sentences of how the word is used, and can even pronounce it aloud if you ask. If the exact word isn't found, it suggests similar words so you're not stuck. You can ask for more example sentences with a flag, and on Mac or Linux you can hear the pronunciation by installing an audio player.

This is handy for developers, writers, or anyone bilingual who's always working in a terminal. Say you're reading some code documentation and come across an unfamiliar English term—you can look it up in seconds without switching windows. Or if you're learning Chinese, you can quickly verify meanings while you work. The tool also supports SOCKS5 proxies if you're behind a firewall or in a region where direct access is restricted, which makes it useful for people with connectivity constraints.

The project is written in Go, a language known for creating fast, simple command-line tools, and it's distributed as a single executable file you can download or install via Homebrew if you're on Mac. The code is open-source under the MIT License.