With millions of employees across North America working remotely for the last year and a half, new tools for collaboration have sprouted up everywhere. Along with everyday platforms like Zoom and Microsoft Teams, more robust applications for file sync and share have enabled even greater collaboration. And once-complicated forms of connectivity like VPNs have become standard for securing remote. Enter Simplified Cangjie code within the white main input area. Choose the character/word among the list by the corresponding number. If more choices are available, use Spacebar or PgUp/PgDn or +/- buttons to navigate between pages. Other than Cantonese code, simple English words can be used to input as well (eg. ' flight ticket ' for ' 機票 '). Add the Chinese (Mandarin) option for typing on your computer. I used this for typing in Microsoft Word so my son could type a paper for his Mandarin class.
My dad asked me how to write Chinese in Windows 10 and to my chagrin as a Microsoft fanboy, I did not know. I searched the web and YouTube, and while I eventually figured out what to do I surprisingly did not encounter one short and simple tutorial on doing so. Hence, this quick article and video.
As it turns out, writing Chinese in Windows 10 is exceedingly easy! Ignore the articles that say you need to download third-party software or buy some sort of specialized writing pad, or talk about IME (“Input Method Editor”)—whatever that is. If you have a Windows tablet or 2-in-1 like the Microsoft Surface, you can easily write Chinese using a stylus or finger and Windows will automatically convert your handwriting to typeface. Or, if you don’t have a touch screen, you can type in Pinyin instead.
Overview of the Procedure
- Add Chinese language to your device
- Either (a) click on the virtual keyboard in the taskbar, select Chinese and select the handwriting icon, then start writing Chinese with a stylus, or (b) select Chinese in the taskbar, start typing in Pinyin, and select from a list of Chinese character that could correspond to that Pinyin.
Here is a video of the above.
Chinese Keyboard Microsoft Word Download
I actually prefer Option 2b (typing in Pinyin) above since I know how to write very few Chinese words, but know how to say some and can sort of recognize the most basic ones. Of course, a native Chinese person would probably prefer writing with a stylus or finger.
So you want to type chinese characters in Windows? Here’s how you can do it without installing other third party applications such as NJStar, ChineseStar or Chinese Communicator.
1. First goto Control Panel and select Regional and Language Options
Chinese Keyboard Microsoft Word Online
2. Select the Keyboards and Languages tab.
3. Under the General tab, press the Add button and select the chinese input type that you want to use.
In my opinion, Microsoft Pinyin IME is the easiest to use and if you speak Mandarin, using pinyin is just like “spelling” a chinese word in english.
4. That’s it. After installing it, a new button will appear at your taskbar allowing you to choose your input language.
