diff --git a/conceptnet5/readers/cc_cedict.py b/conceptnet5/readers/cc_cedict.py
index 8246ff72..901dabd8 100644
--- a/conceptnet5/readers/cc_cedict.py
+++ b/conceptnet5/readers/cc_cedict.py
@@ -128,9 +128,6 @@ def handle_file(filename, output_file):
             if 'Taiwan pr.' in definition or 'also pr.' in definition:
                 continue
 
-            # Remove clarifying information in parenthesis
-            definition = PAREN_REGEX.sub('', definition)
-
             # Check if it's the definition matches a person syntax, i.e. includes a date range
             person_match = re.match(DATE_RANGE_REGEX, definition)
             if person_match:
@@ -174,6 +171,9 @@ def handle_file(filename, output_file):
                     out.write(edge)
                 continue
 
+            # Remove clarifying information in parenthesis
+            definition = PAREN_REGEX.sub('', definition)
+
             # Handle variants/word forms and abbreviations
             if re.match(VARIANT_REGEX, definition) or re.match(ABBR_REGEX, definition):
                 variants = extract_han_characters(definition)