1. An electronic translating device comprising: means for inputting a character string in a source language; electronic dictionary means for storing a plurality of idiom reference forms, each form representing a defined word phrase and having a fixed portion and a variable portion, wherein the variable portion of each idiom reference form having at least one common attribute represented by one or more variable symbols; and means for translating the inputted character string from the source language to a target language by comparing the inputted character string with said plurality of idiom reference forms.
1. An electronic translating device comprising: means for inputting a character string in a source language; electronic dictionary means for storing a plurality of idiom reference forms, each form representing a defined word phrase and having a fixed portion and a variable portion, wherein the variable portion of each idiom reference form having at least one common attribute represented by one or more variable symbols; and means for translating the inputted character string from the source language to a target language by comparing the inputted character string with said plurality of idiom reference forms. 2. An electronic translating device as recited in claim 1, wherein each variable symbol within each idiom form represents a defined group of words with common attributes.