How do I get Chinese input to work?

Question

How do I configure Ubuntu to input Chinese?

Answer 1

My system had a similar problem: I was able to choose "Chinese", but it didn't really input any Chinese. The key step missing was to install a specific Chinese input method/package. E.g.:

sudo apt-get install ibus-pinyin 

After installing Pinyin in this example, go to System Settings → Language Support → Chinese (Pinyin).

Now it works as expected.

This thread helped me to figure out this solution. It also suggests another input method:

sudo apt-get install ibus-sunpinyin

P.S.

After either of those commands do not forget to restart the IBus daemon

ibus restart

Answer 2

1. click dash home, search for "language support"

2. click "install/remove language" and add Chinese

3. click dash home, search for "keyboard input method"

4. under "input method",add Chinese input method

5. enjoy!

hopefully it helps

Answer 3

This method is through command line. It relies on installing ibus-libpinyin (which is known as Ibus Intelligent Pinyin) and adding it as input source to gsettings schema. This has been tested multiple times on Ubuntu 14.04 LTS as well as 15.04

First install ibus-libpinyin

sudo apt-get install ibus-libpinyin

Then, run the following command:

gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.input-sources sources "$(gsettings get org.gnome.desktop.input-sources sources | sed "s/]/, ('ibus', 'libpinyin')]/")" 

The command above takes output of gsettings get org.gnome.desktop.input-sources sources, gives it to sed, which removes the last square bracket and appends , ('ibus', 'libpinyin')] to its output. That particular schema has entries in format [(INPUTMETHOD1, LANGUAGE1), (INPUTMETHOD1,LANGUAGE2)], so this is the reason why sed has to be used to insert text in that fassion. Finally we use output of that as input for gsettings set command, through parameter substitution with $( . . . )

Alternatively the two lines can be combined into a simple script:

#!/bin/sh
SCHEMA="org.gnome.desktop.input-sources"
KEY="sources"
sudo apt-get install ibus-libpinyin
gsettings set $SCHEMA $KEY "$(gsettings get $SCHEMA $KEY | sed "s/]/, ('ibus', 'libpinyin')]/")"

Hope that helps other users! Chinese language by itself is great for web-surfing Chinese internet, but one of the most desired app for Chinese users of Linux is QQ, which of course isn't available, however check out my other answer on how to install Android version of QQ in Ubuntu.

Answer 4

setup instructions for chinese character support in ubuntu 14.04

1. Enable Chinese Language Support

a - Click System Settings, Click Language Support

b - Ensure that Keyboard input method system: is set to IBus

c - Click Install / Remove Languages..

d - Choose Chinese (simplified) and/or Chinese (traditional)

e - Click Apply Changes

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>Logout Login<

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2. Install Additional Chinese Input Systems

a - Open Ubuntu Software Center

b - Search for and install ibus-m17n

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>Logout Login<

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3. Select And Enable Your Input Systems

a - Click System Settings, Click Text Entry

b - Click the + button to add new methods

c - Select Chinese (Pinyin), click Add

this allows you to type characters 汉字

d - Select Chinese (SunPinyin), click Add

this also allows you to type chinese characters 汉字 (optional alternative)

e - select Chinese (hanyu pinyin (m17n)), click Add

this allows you to type hànyǔ pīnyīn (english characters with tone markers)

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>Logout Login<

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4. Test It Out

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Troubleshooting

If when using Chinese(Pinyin) you have the bug where typing hanyu suggests ha nü sh and other similar, syllabic separation problems, first try this..

Open the terminal, Enter ibus restart

if that doesn't work here are a few other suggestions at Pinyin Joe

Random Tips

• Press super key + space to toggle between language inputs.
  • super key is the windows key
• Each language input has its own settings to customize usability.
  • Ex. On the language bar select Pinyin, click preferences.

Answer 5

1. click dash home, search for "language support", check if " chinese" exist ? If not step 2. If have, transfer to step 3.

2. click "install/remove language" and add Chinese

3. click dash home, search for "keyboard input method"

4. under "input method",add Chinese input method