Dictionaries · head-to-head
Chinese Text Project vs Oxford
Chinese Text Project's JSON API resolves opaque CTP URNs into full text, titles, and subsection metadata across its library of pre-Qin and Han-era classical Chinese works, and underpins the site's own browser plugins for text lookup and annotation. Anonymous requests work without any key but are rate-limited; logged-in accounts get a higher ceiling, and academic institutions can arrange a subscription that issues API keys for extended, programmatic access.
Oxford Dictionaries API (Oxford Languages) exposes definitions, translations, and lexical metadata sourced from Oxford University Press's own databases across dozens of languages, authenticated with an app ID/key pair from its developer portal. New accounts start on a free Sandbox tier that emulates the live API for evaluation before moving to paid production plans, with custom Enterprise licensing available from an annual per-language fee.
| Chinese Text Project | Oxford | |
|---|---|---|
| Authentication | None | API Key |
| Pricing | freemium | freemium |
| Formats | JSON | JSON |
| CORS | yes | no |
| HTTPS | Yes | Yes |
Chinese Text Project needs no API key, while Oxford requires API Key — pick Chinese Text Project to start without signup.