My New Mac, Snow Leopard Edition, 2nd Edition

Typing Chinese, Japanese, and Korean Characters

At first glance, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean words look like a random jumble of lines, but once you get familiar with one of the languages, you'll notice that Asian language characters often use similar lines and patterns, which are called radicals. By identifying a particular type of radical, you can choose from a list of common characters that use that same radical.

To type an Asian character using radicals, do this:

1. Move the cursor where you want to type an Asian character, such as in a word processor document.

2. Click the Language & Text menulet and choose Show Character Viewer. The Character Viewer window appears.

3. Click the View pop-up menu and choose Korean, Japanese, Traditional Chinese, or Simplified ...