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In the most basic form, the pinyin method allows a user to input Chinese characters by entering the pinyin of a Chinese character (with or without tone, depending on the system) and then presenting the user with a list of possible characters with that pronunciation. However, there are a number of slightly different such systems in use, and modern pinyin methods provide a number of convenience features.


VARIATIONS

Pinyin-based input methods differ in a number of possible aspects, including:
  • Input of the letter ü: The letter ü might need to be input using different keys in different systems. Currently in the Microsoft Hanyu pinyin system, ü is inputed by typing the letter "v." For example, 女 (woman) would be entered as "nv."

  • Handling of tones: Entering of the Mandarin tones might be mandatory (帶調), or tones might need to be omitted (不帶調)

  • Number of Chinese characters to convert: In the most basic systems, one character is converted at a time; in more sophisticated systems, the user can convert two or more characters at a time



CONVENIENCE FEATURES

Most pinyin-based input methods provide convenience features to speed up the input of characters. The most common convenience features include
  • allowing the user to input more than one character at a time

  • guessing the next character after the user has input a character (association 聯想)

  • adjusting the position of candidate characters in the list, based on the frequency that the characters are typed

  • allowing the user to omit all but the first or first couple of letters in the pinyin spelling

  • allowing a user who cannot speak perfect Mandarin to input slightly incorrect pronunciations (模糊音)


Some of these convenience features can speed up typing immensely. For example, it might be possible to get the word for "concert" (音乐会) by just inputting "yyh" (versus "yinyuehui"). Input of longer words or phrases may be sped up even more if the system recognizes the words.


ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES

The obvious advantage of pinyin-based input methods is the ease of learning; those who are familiar with pinyin would be able to input Chinese characters with almost no training, compared to other input methods.

For people who do not speak Mandarin, however, this advantage becomes its disadvantage. For some speakers of Mandarin who merge the sounds represented by ''c'' and ''ch'', ''s'' and ''sh'', ''z'' and ''zh'', ''n'' and ''ng'', ''n'' and ''l'', or ''h'' and ''f'', pinyin-based input methods can be difficult to use. Systems which allow the user to input incorrect pronunciations would alleviate this problem somewhat.


SEE ALSO