Do I need to type tones when typing pinyin?

No. Pinyin input methods ignore tones; you just type the letters and pick the character.

Use the v key: lv for 绿, nv for 女. Typing Derby also accepts u.

Is Wubi faster than pinyin?

Wubi, a shape-based method, can be faster for trained experts but takes a long time to learn. Pinyin is what most people use.

Pinyin Typing: How to Type Chinese

The most common way to type Chinese is with a pinyin input method. You type the pinyin spelling of a word without tone marks, and the input method suggests matching characters. Once you know pinyin, you can type Chinese on any normal keyboard.

How a pinyin input method works

Type the pinyin letters of a word, without tones: nihao.
The input method shows candidate characters: 你好, 尼好 …
Press Space for the first candidate, or a number key to pick another one.

Characters	Meaning	Pinyin with tones	What you type
你好	Hello	nǐ hǎo	`nihao`
谢谢	Thank you	xiè xie	`xiexie`
中国	China	zhōng guó	`zhongguo`
打字	Typing	dǎ zì	`dazi`
练习	Practice	liàn xí	`lianxi`
绿色	Green	lǜ sè	`lvse`
女儿	Daughter	nǚ ér	`nver`
西安	Xi'an	xī ān	`xi'an`

Special cases

ü is typed as v: 绿 lü → lv, 女 nü → nv. After j, q, x and y it is written u anyway: 去 qu.
Tones are not typed. The input method uses context to choose the right character.
Use an apostrophe to split ambiguous syllables: 西安 xi’an vs. 先 xian.
Many input methods accept abbreviations, such as nh for 你好.

How to add a pinyin keyboard

Windows: Settings → Time & language → Language & region → Add a language → Chinese (Simplified, China). Microsoft Pinyin is included.
Mac: System Settings → Keyboard → Text Input → Edit → + → Chinese, Simplified → Pinyin – Simplified.
Phones: add the Chinese (Simplified) pinyin keyboard; QWERTY and 9-key layouts are both available.

💡 In Typing Derby the pinyin is shown under every character and you type it letter by letter, without choosing candidates — a great way to train fast and accurate pinyin spelling.

Start the Chinese typing test ▸

FAQ

Do I need to type tones when typing pinyin?: No. Pinyin input methods ignore tones; you just type the letters and pick the character.
How do I type ü?: Use the v key: lv for 绿, nv for 女. Typing Derby also accepts u.
Is Wubi faster than pinyin?: Wubi, a shape-based method, can be faster for trained experts but takes a long time to learn. Pinyin is what most people use.