The objective of the Dictionary is to enhance Chinese learning with focus on basic vocabulary needed in daily situations, and to further develop higher-level Chinese learning skills.

目標為使初級華語學習者能掌握日常情境所需之基本詞彙，並能在完成基礎階段的學習之後繼續發展進階之華語能力。

The General Managing Editor of the Learner's Mandarin Chinese Dictionary ── for Beginner level is Dr. Shih-chang Hsin, professor of the Graduate Institute of Teaching Chinese as a Second Language at National Taiwan Normal University; The Chief Editor is Professor Ting-Au Cheng, a Hong Kong Lexicographer. Based on the standpoint of learning Chinese as a second language, and under the general editoring of Profesor H.S, Prof. Cheng adopts the sentence-based approach in listing English definitions with corresponding Chinese and English sample sentences, and matches them with remarks on the parts of speech to indicate the word meaning, . The major functions of this dictionary are:

1.To serve as a reference for non-native Chinese learners;
2.To serve as a reference for designing the courses of teaching Chinese as a second language;
3.To serve as a reference for compilation of Chinese teaching materials, and the development of Chinese learning software;
4.To serve as the basis of and a reference for Chinese test items construction.
5.To serve as a reference for teachers of Chinese in preparing their lessons.
   
《國際華語學習辭典》由國立臺灣師範大學華語文教學研究所信世昌教授總策畫；香港詞典學家鄭定歐教授主編。本詞典基於華語為第二語言學習觀點，採句本位方式，以中英文例句對應英文註釋，搭配詞性標注來指明詞彙意義。詞典主要功能如下：
1.作為非母語學習者華語學習之參考；
2.作為對外華語課程設置與教學設計之參考；
3.作為華語教材編纂、教學軟體研發之參考；
4.作為華語測驗命題之依據與參考。
5.作為華語教師備課之參考。