Terms of Service

These terms govern your use of OtterDict, an English ⇄ Chinese dictionary and learning platform. Please read them carefully before using the service.

OtterDict (otterdict.com) is operated by TDH Software CO.,LTD ("we", "us"). You can reach us at [email protected].

Acceptance

By accessing or using OtterDict, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service. If you do not agree, please do not use the service.

Eligibility and Accounts

You can use most lookup features without an account. Some features require you to register with an email and password, or through Google or Facebook. You are responsible for keeping your credentials secure and for all activity that occurs under your account. We may require email verification.

Acceptable Use

You agree not to misuse the service, interfere with or disrupt its operation, attempt to gain unauthorized access to our systems, or use the service to violate any applicable law. We may apply reasonable rate limits and usage quotas.

Advanced Features

OtterDict offers automated word explanations and comparisons. These outputs are generated automatically and may be inaccurate or incomplete. They are not professional advice (linguistic, legal, academic, or otherwise). You should independently verify anything important.

Advertising

OtterDict displays advertising banners to Free-tier users. The Pro plan is ad-free, this is one of the benefits of upgrading. Our advertising partners may set cookies or device identifiers and may collect usage data to serve and measure ads. See our Privacy Policy for details.

Subscriptions and Payments

The Pro plan is sold as a recurring subscription. Payment is processed by Polar Software, Inc., acting as the Merchant of Record: Polar handles the transaction and any applicable tax/VAT. You can manage, update, or cancel your subscription at any time through Polar's customer portal. Refunds are handled according to our Refund Policy.

Subscriptions arranged through a partner centre. If your Pro access was granted by a distributor or partner language centre rather than purchased directly from OtterDict, that access depends on the centre's standing with OtterDict. If the centre's own account is suspended (for example, for non-payment to OtterDict), your Pro access granted through that centre may end, even if you have paid the centre. In that case your dispute is with the centre. Pro access purchased directly from OtterDict is unaffected.

Intellectual Property and Third-Party Data

The OtterDict interface, code, and editorial content — including the blog, HSK material, grammar notes, the Hán-Việt layer, and example sentences we authored — belong to us or our licensors. OtterDict uses several open datasets, with the following attributions:

  • CC-CEDICT, licensed under CC BY-SA.
  • Unihan (Unicode), under the Unicode license.
  • Tatoeba, licensed under CC BY 2.0 FR.

Data we share back. The dictionary layer derived from CC-CEDICT — specifically simplified and traditional headwords, pinyin readings, and the English and Vietnamese definitions with their part-of-speech tags — is shared back under CC BY-SA 4.0, in line with the ShareAlike condition of the upstream license. This does NOT apply to Hán-Việt readings, Tatoeba example sentences, per-sense example sentences, AI-generated explanations, HSK material, grammar notes, collocations, or the blog. See our licenses page for the full scope of this grant.

Disclaimers and Limitation of Liability

The service is provided "as is" and "as available," without warranties of any kind. To the maximum extent permitted by law, OtterDict is not liable for indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising from your use of the service.

Changes to These Terms

We may update these terms from time to time. When we make material changes, we will provide appropriate notice. Your continued use of the service after an update means you accept the revised terms.

Governing Law

These terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Vietnam.

Payment Processor (Merchant of Record)

Your purchase is processed by Polar Software, Inc. and its affiliates, acting as the Merchant of Record (authorized reseller) for OtterDict. Polar handles billing, payment, tax (VAT/GST), invoicing, and subscription management. Subscriptions renew automatically until canceled; you can cancel anytime before the next billing date to stop future charges, with access continuing until the end of the paid period. Cancellations and refunds are governed by our Refund Policy.

Contact

OtterDict is operated by TDH Software CO.,LTD, located at Vietnam. If you have questions about these terms, please contact [email protected].

Last updated: August 29, 2026