大家好！

I'm wondering how people deal with words with multiple alternative forms. In my books a few words apparently have multiple forms. This is not just related to traditional/simplified variants. Examples include 臺灣/台灣, 甚麼/什麼, 糊塗/胡塗. I feel that it is important to know both forms, and maybe also use them both. In some cases I've been told that one form is used almost to the exclusion of the other, such as 什麼. But other cases depend on context and formality, so have more equal use.

So to deal with that now, I have my lists with both forms included; at least in cases where both forms are in fact in use. This creates some minor problems (or nuisances). The words are separate words, with no linking thus not reminding me about the alternatives. And often the definition for the "separate" words would be identical/similar, thus making it difficult to guess which variant Skritter is asking for :) I don't think a solution would be to have the other alternative in the description, because that would be too strong a hint about the current form of the word.

Maybe the ultimate solution would be for these words to have a special "multiple versions" mode, that would allow you to try to write all the different variants, and also see them together. But I guess that could also be somewhat annoying after a while... And of course it would raise the complexity of the model underneat, that is already taxed by the simplified/traditional dimension.

As I said, minor problem, so it is easy to work around, but just thought I would hear what other users think :)

I usually just study the "more traditional" of the variants where possible. Just like my philosophy towards traditional/simplified, I figure the more complex form will be harder to recognize, so that's the one I devote more time to. Unlike you, I don't have the patience to explicitly study multiple forms; I just assume I'll be able to recognize/figure out the simpler form when reading or typing.

I can think of some examples, though, where I can't write the complex variant: 才/纔，了解/瞭解，吃/喫。These ones are less common - I only see them occasionally in writing.