How to input Chinese in Windows without
Chinese software.
Entering Chinese in English version of Microsoft Windows has never been easier
in Windows 2000 and Windows XP. Before Windows 2000 and Windows XP, you have do
download and install a Windows language module IME. The benefit will be that you
don't have to purchase separate software, and the associated software
complication. Besides, Window's word processing tools, such as WordPad and
Office Word, works better in the native Windows environment.
Although the required language module doesn't come pre-installed, a quick
Google.com search for "enter Chinese in Windows" will results
thousands of related articles. So the installation of the language module
shouldn't be any problem. Here are two articles that can show you the
step-by-step of the installation and usage of the program.
Once everything is setup properly, this is a great tool for learning Chinese.
Because most people already know how to speak, just don't know how to write. For
example, if you want to write the Chinese word "学校",
and I don't know how, but know the pronunciation, you can enter the pinyin to
look-up the word. Believe me, it is faster than you actually look up the Chinese
dictionary.
Although Window's language module provides several pinyin input methods.
QuanPin(全拼)
is most desirable. This method requires that you enter every character of the
pinyin, a bit slow. But you don't have to remember anything except the standard
pinyin you already known. Besides, with the added features, such as phrases,
learning, self defined phrases, you can input Chinese pretty fast.
To achieve high conversion accuracy from Pinyin to Hanzi (close to 100%), make
sure you enter standard Pinyin, not monosyllabic Pinyin, observing the spacing
between words. Example: "weather" must be entered as "tianqi"
(not as "tian qi"), "we" must be entered as
"women" (not as "wo men"), "
China
" must be entered as "Zhongguo" (not as "zhong guo").
Standard Pinyin spelling is quite logical and intuitive, and can also be checked
in dictionaries such as the "Xiandai Hanyu Cidian". When using
Bopomofo entry, apply the same spacing rules as in Pinyin for optimal
conversion.
"?quot;, which is not on the standard English
keyboard, is entered through the letter "v".
KONG Zhe
12-17-2003