Type Chinese in your browser with a built-in pinyin input method: write pinyin such as nihao or zhongguo, then press Space or a number to pick 你好 or 中国. Works with your physical keyboard or the on-screen keys, in Simplified or Traditional characters, and nothing needs to be installed.
Last updated:
Pinyin
0 characters
Chinese punctuation & symbols
Space picks the first candidate · 1–9 pick by number · -= page through candidates · Enter types the letters as they are · Esc cancels · ' separates syllables (xi'an) · v types ü (nv → 女) · tap Shift to switch 中/EN.
Advertisement
Advertisement
How to use the Chinese Keyboard
Type pinyin without tones, for example nihao. Use v for ü (nv → 女) and an apostrophe to split ambiguous syllables (xi'an).
Pick a candidate: press Space for the first one, a number 1–9 for another, or click it. Use - and = (or the arrows) to see more.
Type whole phrases: womenyiqiqu offers 我们一起去 at once; choose a shorter candidate and the rest of the pinyin stays ready for the next pick.
Switch character set with 简体 / 繁體; the button below the text converts what you already wrote.
Copy or download your Chinese text. Tap Shift (or the 中/EN button) whenever you need plain English letters.
Pinyin typing cheat sheet
You type
You get
Meaning
Tip
nihao
你好
hello
Space picks the first candidate
xiexie
谢谢
thank you
Whole words rank above single characters
woaini
我爱你
I love you
Several words in one go
nv / lvse
女 / 绿色
woman / green
v stands for ü
xi'an
西安
Xi’an (city)
' splits syllables: xian alone gives 先, 现…
zh
这, 中, 知…
–
Unfinished syllables already show likely characters
, . ? !
，。？！
punctuation
Full-width Chinese marks; untick the option for ASCII
" "
“ ”
quotes
Typing " alternates opening and closing quotes
Simplified vs Traditional characters
Simplified characters (简体字) were introduced in mainland China in the 1950s and 1960s and are used in mainland China, Singapore and Malaysia. Traditional characters (繁體字) are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau and in many overseas communities. The pronunciation and pinyin input are the same; only the written forms differ.
Pinyin
Simplified
Traditional
Meaning
xuéxí
学习
學習
to study
Zhōngguó
中国
中國
China
diànhuà
电话
電話
telephone
àiqíng
爱情
愛情
love
yǔyán
语言
語言
language
fēijī
飞机
飛機
airplane
Some simplified characters stand for several traditional ones (发 → 發 “send” or 髮 “hair”; 后 → 後 “after” or 后 “queen”). The full OpenCC dictionary chooses by context; check names and rare words when converting.
Tips for faster Chinese typing
Type words, not characters. Two- and three-syllable words are far less ambiguous than single syllables, so they usually appear first.
Let it learn. When you build a phrase from several picks, the keyboard remembers it and offers it first the next time you type the same pinyin.
Use Enter for Latin text. Pressing Enter while composing inserts the letters as typed, handy for names, brands or pinyin itself.
Learn the tones separately. Toneless input is fast but hides pronunciation; the Chinese to Pinyin converter shows the tone marks for any text you write.
Frequently asked questions
How do I type Chinese characters with an English keyboard?
Type the pinyin spelling of the word without tone marks and choose from the list: nihao gives 你好, xiexie gives 谢谢, zhongguo gives 中国. This is how most people in China type every day.
How do I type ü, as in 女 or 绿?
Use the letter v: nv → 女, lvse → 绿色 (green), lve → 略. The ü syllables lv and nv also list 旅, 律, 绿 and similar characters. The pinyin line above the candidates shows it as ü.
Why are there so many candidates for one syllable?
Mandarin has only about 400 toneless syllables but thousands of characters, so many share a sound: shi alone covers 是, 时, 事, 十 and dozens more. Typing whole words (shijian → 时间) narrows the choice, which is why phrase input is faster.
Can I type Traditional Chinese?
Yes. Choose 繁體 Traditional and the candidates are shown in Traditional characters (中國, 學習). A full OpenCC dictionary is loaded for this when you are online; offline, a built-in table of about 800 common character pairs is used.
Do I need to type tones or numbers?
No. Like standard pinyin input methods, tones are left out. Numbers 1 to 9 select candidates instead.
How large is the dictionary?
About 5,000 frequently used characters, ranked by how common they are in modern written Chinese, plus around 800 everyday words and phrases. Rare characters, names and specialised terms may need to be built from single characters.
Is my text sent anywhere?
No. The pinyin dictionary is built into the page and all conversion happens in your browser. Your text and learned phrases are only stored in this browser's local storage.
Are all the tools on FreeToolCabin tested for quality and accuracy?
Yes! Every tool on our site undergoes automated Q/A testing in real browser environments to ensure high precision, correct output, and zero errors. If you happen to spot a bug or have a suggestion, please contact us at [email protected] and our team will review it right away.