How to type Chinese characters in Windows 2000/XP

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To enter Chinese characters in Windows, you need an IME (Input method editor). There are a few available online, including a free one for Windows (pre 2000) that can be downloaded from Microsoft. Windows 2000 and XP has an IME built in which supports a large number of writing systems and languages, not just Asian ones. This tutorial is designed for use with Windows 2000 or XP.

Go into control panel and double click on 'Regional and Language Options'

Now select the Languages tab and click on details (you may also need check the two boxes in this tab to install extra languages)

In the details box you will see English and possibly any others you have set up:

(Note: in this screenshot I already have Chinese added, unless you've already added it, it won't be on yours).

Now we'll add Chinese to the list (the method is the same for Japanese or any other language). Click on the add button. From the top list, select 'Chinese (PRC)', and select 'Chinese (Simplified) - US Keyboard' (you could pick another keyboard, it doesn't really matter, but if your keyboard is QWERTY you should pick this one).

Click 'ok' in all the dialogs. Now if you click on the little language icon at the bottom right hand side of your screen you should have 'Chinese (PRC)' listed. (Aside: I don't speak all of the languages that I have set up, I just added them while experimenting)

Now to test it - open Word, or any word processor, then select Chinese from the language bar. Type some Pinyin and it will translate it. You can change the character it uses if it guesses the wrong one, so for example, if you type 'hao' it produces that character, and will probably take the meaning 'good'. If you meant something else, press the left arrow key and a list will come up. You can either type a number or click the right one. Here's a screen of it working:

(Note: When typing words with a 'ü', like nü (woman) then use 'v' in place of 'ü')