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Asked: 2024-09-24T17:53:59+05:30 In:

What steps should I follow to enable Chinese language input on my Ubuntu system?

I hope someone can help me out here! So, I’ve recently gotten really interested in learning Chinese, and I think it’d be super helpful to be able to type in Chinese on my Ubuntu system. The only problem is, I’ve got no clue where to start. I’ve done some googling and I feel like I’ve hit a wall.

I found a few articles that mention installing language support and all that, but they didn’t go into much detail about the actual steps. I’m not the most tech-savvy person, so I could really use a step-by-step guide. I mean, I can barely navigate through the menus without feeling overwhelmed!

From what I can tell, it seems like I need to install a Chinese input method, but every article I read mentions different ones—like Fcitx, ibus, and some others. How do I know which one to choose? And once I pick one, what do I even do next? Do I have to mess around with settings, or will it just pop up after installation?

I also heard something about using pinyin for typing, which sounds cool, but I have no idea how to configure that on Ubuntu. Like, will I need to download a separate package or something? I’ve seen mention of adding Chinese fonts too; should I be doing that as well?

It would be awesome if someone could break it down for me—like a simple checklist or something. I really appreciate any help! I’m excited to start typing in Chinese, but I just need that push to get everything set up. If you’ve done this before, I’d love to hear what worked for you, and if you encountered any hiccups during the process. Thanks so much for any tips or steps you can share!

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    2 Answers






    1. Setting Up Chinese Typing on Ubuntu

      How to Start Typing in Chinese on Ubuntu

      So, here’s a simple step-by-step guide to help you start typing in Chinese. Don’t worry, it’s not as complicated as it seems!

      Step 1: Installing Input Method Framework

      First, you need to install an input method framework. You can choose Fcitx or IBus. I suggest going with Fcitx since it’s pretty user-friendly for Chinese input.

      For Fcitx:

      1. Open a terminal (you can search for “Terminal” in your applications).
      2. Run the command:
        3. sudo apt install fcitx fcitx-pinyin fcitx-table-boshiamy
      3. After installation, you need to reboot or log out and back in.

      Step 2: Setting Up Fcitx

      1. Go to Settings > Region & Language.
      2. Under Input Sources, click the + button.
      3. Search for “Chinese” and select Chinese (Pinyin) or any other Chinese input method you want.
      4. Make sure Fcitx is set as the default input method. You can find this in Fcitx Configuration (just type “Fcitx” in your application launcher).

      Step 3: Using Pinyin

      Now that you’ve set up Fcitx:

      1. When you want to type in Chinese, you can use your keyboard shortcuts (like Ctrl + Space) to switch between English and Chinese input.
      2. Simply type in Pinyin (like “ni hao” for 你好) and it will give you the Chinese characters to select from.

      Step 4: Installing Chinese Fonts (Optional)

      If you notice that some characters don’t display properly, you might want to install some Chinese fonts:

      sudo apt install fonts-noto-cjk

      Troubleshooting Tips

      • If Fcitx doesn’t seem to work, double-check if it’s running by typing “Fcitx” in your terminal.
      • Try tweaking some settings in Fcitx Configuration if things aren’t showing up as you expect.

      That’s it!

      Now you should be ready to type in Chinese! Just take it slow, and don’t hesitate to search for specific issues online or ask for help if you get stuck. Good luck!



    2. To type in Chinese on your Ubuntu system, you’ll first need to install an input method framework, which allows you to enter Chinese characters using Pinyin. A popular choice is IBus (Intelligent Input Bus), which is user-friendly and widely supported. To get started, open your terminal and run the following command to install IBus and the necessary packages: sudo apt-get install ibus-pinyin. Once installed, you need to configure IBus. Go to ‘Settings’ > ‘Region & Language’ > ‘Input Sources’, click the ‘+’ button, search for ‘Chinese (Pinyin)’, and add it. Next, ensure that IBus is set as your input method by running ibus-daemon -drx in the terminal, which will restart the IBus daemon.

      After setting up IBus, you may want to install Chinese fonts to ensure that your system displays Chinese characters properly. You can do this by running sudo apt-get install fonts-noto-cjk in the terminal. This package includes a comprehensive set of Chinese fonts. To switch to Chinese input while typing, you can use the keyboard shortcut Super + Space, which will toggle between your installed input methods. If you’d like to customize your input options further, such as adjusting Pinyin settings, you can access the IBus Preferences by searching for ‘IBus Preferences’ in the application menu. From there, you can explore additional settings that suit your needs. With these steps, you should be all set to start typing in Chinese!


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