Searching for a word in a Chinese paper dictionary can be challenging due to the nature of Chinese characters, but it's not impossible. Here are some methods of searching for a word:

• By Hanzi (Chinese Character): Paper dictionaries are often organized according to the radical and the number of strokes in a character. First, you have to identify the character's radical, that is, the "root" or the main component of the character. Then, you have to count the remaining strokes within the character. With this information, you have to look up the dictionary section corresponding to that radical and that number of strokes. For more details, we invite you to read the lesson "5 Steps to Look Up a Word in a Paper Dictionary by Hanzi".

• By Pinyin: Some paper dictionaries also have a section organized by Pinyin, which is the Romanization system for Mandarin Chinese. In this section, words are arranged alphabetically by their Pinyin. However, the same Pinyin can correspond to multiple different characters, so you will have to look for the word in relation to its context. For more details, we invite you to read the lesson "5 Steps to Look Up a Word in a Paper Dictionary by Pinyin".

• By Meaning: If you are looking for the translation of a Chinese word into your language, you need to search the dictionary section corresponding to your language, which is usually organized alphabetically. For more details, we invite you to read the lesson “Tips for Looking Up a Word in a Paper Dictionary by Meaning".

• By Strokes: As mentioned before, Chinese characters can also be looked up by their total number of strokes. However, this can be more challenging as it requires a good understanding of correctly counting the strokes of a Chinese character. Additionally, many characters have the same number of strokes, making it a slow and error-prone search. For more details, we invite you to read the lesson “Tips for Looking Up a Word in a Paper Dictionary by Strokes".

Paper dictionaries can vary in their organization, and what works for one may not work for another. Looking up words in a Chinese paper dictionary requires a certain level of familiarity with Chinese characters and their composition. In comparison, dictionary apps like Chinesimple greatly simplify this process, allowing you to look up words by Hanzi, Pinyin, meaning, strokes, and besides, more quickly and efficiently.