Dictionary now recognizes Internet buzzwords

Frequently used English Internet buzzwords and acronyms have made their way into the latest edition of the New English-Chinese Dictionary, a major reference book for English learners in China.

The dictionary has added 297 popular words, especially acronyms frequently used in online chatting and texting, including "ZZZ", "2D4" and "BFF", in its appendices, an unprecedented move in China's major dictionary community, said Shanghai-based Wenhui Bao.

ZZZ can be an indication of sleep or being tired. The term can also be used when something bores you. BFF, acronym for "best friends forever", and 2D4, acronym for "to die for", have both gone viral in texts.

The dictionary, with its 4th revision just completed, has the largest circulation among foreign language dictionaries in China.