<p>Like @user25500062 said, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wubi_method" rel="nofollow">五笔输入法</a> can do this. </p>

<p>I think you mean <code>strokes</code> or <code>particles</code>, not keys, though.</p>

<p><code>Wubi Shurufa</code>, or the <code>Wubi Input Method</code>, is used mainly by older Chinese people who never properly learned <code>pinyin</code> in school. Most of the younger generation use only <code>pinyin</code>. However, if you put the time and effort into using wubi, you'll type at an amazing speed, and will be able to do what you're looking for. </p>

<p>It's very useful for learning the stroke order of the characters. If you don't understand pinyin yet, you should learn pinyin too. </p>

<p>However... I think you should also look for a drawing pad IME that converts drawn characters to their correct character, but you may need to try it a few times, and will most likely need the correct stroke order. I tried several, and sometimes it doesn't completely recognize the character.</p>

<p>If you're too lazy to find a proper application (like I am right now), you can head on over to <a href="https://translate.google.com/" rel="nofollow">Google Translate</a> and select the following:</p>

<ol>
<li>Chinese</li>
<li>Down-arrow icon at the bottom-left corner.</li>
<li>Select the option, "Chinese (Simplified, China) - Handwrite</li>
</ol>

<p>Then you can draw characters and try to get them converted. Make sure you're translating <code>"FROM" Chinese</code> "<code>TO" any other language</code> before attempting this, or it won't show up. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-20T19:18:30.567Z
I think I will give it a try. It may reveal useful while learning Chinese vocabulary.
Jonathan Mondaut
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-20T19:25:08.830Z
I've added more information that may help you.
神经病
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-20T20:36:16.357Z
I used to find characters by handwriting using [MDGB](http://www.mdbg.net/) when I am on my PC, it use the [CC-CEDICT](http://cc-cedict.org/wiki/) which is pretty complete.

Otherwise on my (Android) phone I use [Pleco](https://www.pleco.com/) which is free (with some paid additional functions). Pleco is very useful it give you some example sentences and words, I use it at university a lot. It also use CC-CEDICT.
Jonathan Mondaut
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-20T17:07:04.530Z
2015-10-20T19:48:23.933Z
2015-10-20T19:48:23.933Z
神经病
<p>You need <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wubi_method" rel="nofollow">五笔输入法</a>, but I think it would be very difficult to learn, even to native Chinese speakers.</p>

<p>I think the best way to do it is draw it with mouse, some input method support the feature.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-20T19:16:17.200Z
I think like @神经病 said it may be worth the effort if you can master it. It may also be interesting to help memorization of characters in a learning perspective. But drawing method is also pretty useful to find pronunciation of a new character!
Jonathan Mondaut
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-20T19:18:51.740Z
It is indeed useful for learning to memorize stroke order. You'll likely have a far better command of written Chinese by learning Wubi over `pinyin`, but I think it's important to learn `pinyin` too. I wish I put more effort into Wubi, but I'm a five-time pinyin champion. :(
神经病
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-03T00:24:46.027Z
Or just copy/paste it from somewhere, e.g. [here](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=radicals).
Becky 李蓓
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-20T13:41:47.253Z
2015-10-20T13:41:47.253Z
thinwa
<p>You just need an input method with a dictionary of bushou(部首) characters. While you are running Fedora Linux, I recommend you to try an open source input method engine called Rime. There are two front-ends available for Linux distros: ibus-rime and fcitx-rime. And it is cross-platfom, which means you can use your own configuration on Windows, Mac OS X and Android.
You can customize your own dictionary. For example, you can just input 'shuo' and get a candidate list containing "讠" and "訁". It's up to you and you don't have to learn an extra way to input Chinese characters like 五笔(Wubi).</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-21T17:13:04.507Z
Just tried it, indeed Rime is a very powerful input method engine! It is very nice to be able to customize it! Even more when you are used to *NIX things!
Jonathan Mondaut
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-21T01:25:34.647Z
2015-10-21T01:25:34.647Z
nee.wong
<p>I run Fedora and was wondering if it's possible to write character components with keyboard? E.g. only the left part of &quot;说&quot;? If yes, how would one do that?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-17T20:57:05.367Z
Oh yes, you are right! Thank you! Some of them needs a lot of scrolling in the input system, or maybe I use it the wrong way. I will try to find some resources on input tricks.
Jonathan Mondaut
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-17T23:58:51.317Z
They are indeed usually far down the list, as it's not really something one needs to type to write the average Chinese sentence.
vermillon
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-20T17:50:21.060Z
Google Pinyin and Sougou Pinyin both support special input when typing a leading "u" before the character. This can be helpful for parts of characters or rare characters "uyan" and "udui" doesn't require as much scrolling as "yan" and "dui" alone. I haven't much experience with it myself, therefore refrain from making an actual answer, but it might help a little. However, it requires you to know the name of the parts you are dealing with.
langdi
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-21T06:37:29.120Z
@JonathanMondaut I think langdi's solution is more suitable for a non-native learner. Learning Pinyin helps you remember the correct pronunciation, which would be more important than the correct stroke orders. Indeed, 五笔 is a successful input method for typists, but the input speed won't be a bottleneck for most of us.
Stan
<characters><input-methods>
How to write character components on a keyboard?
# How to write character components on a keyboard?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-10-17)

I run Fedora and was wondering if it's possible to write character components with keyboard? E.g. only the left part of "说"? If yes, how would one do that?

**Tags:** characters, input-methods

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Oh yes, you are right! Thank you! Some of them needs a lot of scrolling in the input system, or maybe I use it the wrong way. I will try to find some resources on input tricks.  
> **username_1**: They are indeed usually far down the list, as it's not really something one needs to type to write the average Chinese sentence.  
> **username_2**: Google Pinyin and Sougou Pinyin both support special input when typing a leading "u" before the character. This can be helpful for parts of characters or rare characters "uyan" and "udui" doesn't require as much scrolling as "yan" and "dui" alone. I haven't much experience with it myself, therefore refrain from making an actual answer, but it might help a little. However, it requires you to know the name of the parts you are dealing with.  
> **username_3**: @username_0 I think username_2's solution is more suitable for a non-native learner. Learning Pinyin helps you remember the correct pronunciation, which would be more important than the correct stroke orders. Indeed, 五笔 is a successful input method for typists, but the input speed won't be a bottleneck for most of us.  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2015-10-20. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

Like @user25500062 said, [五笔输入法](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wubi_method) can do this.

I think you mean `strokes` or `particles`, not keys, though.

`Wubi Shurufa`, or the `Wubi Input Method`, is used mainly by older Chinese people who never properly learned `pinyin` in school. Most of the younger generation use only `pinyin`. However, if you put the time and effort into using wubi, you'll type at an amazing speed, and will be able to do what you're looking for.

It's very useful for learning the stroke order of the characters. If you don't understand pinyin yet, you should learn pinyin too.

However... I think you should also look for a drawing pad IME that converts drawn characters to their correct character, but you may need to try it a few times, and will most likely need the correct stroke order. I tried several, and sometimes it doesn't completely recognize the character.

If you're too lazy to find a proper application (like I am right now), you can head on over to [Google Translate](https://translate.google.com/) and select the following:

1. Chinese
2. Down-arrow icon at the bottom-left corner.
3. Select the option, "Chinese (Simplified, China) - Handwrite

Then you can draw characters and try to get them converted. Make sure you're translating `"FROM" Chinese` "`TO" any other language` before attempting this, or it won't show up.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: I think I will give it a try. It may reveal useful while learning Chinese vocabulary.  
> **username_4**: I've added more information that may help you.  
> **username_0**: I used to find characters by handwriting using [MDGB](http://www.mdbg.net/) when I am on my PC, it use the [CC-CEDICT](http://cc-cedict.org/wiki/) which is pretty complete.  Otherwise on my (Android) phone I use [Pleco](https://www.pleco.com/) which is free (with some paid additional functions). Pleco is very useful it give you some example sentences and words, I use it at university a lot. It also use CC-CEDICT.  

---

### Answer by username_5 on 2015-10-20. Score: 3

You need [五笔输入法](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wubi_method), but I think it would be very difficult to learn, even to native Chinese speakers.

I think the best way to do it is draw it with mouse, some input method support the feature.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: I think like @username_4 said it may be worth the effort if you can master it. It may also be interesting to help memorization of characters in a learning perspective. But drawing method is also pretty useful to find pronunciation of a new character!  
> **username_4**: It is indeed useful for learning to memorize stroke order. You'll likely have a far better command of written Chinese by learning Wubi over `pinyin`, but I think it's important to learn `pinyin` too. I wish I put more effort into Wubi, but I'm a five-time pinyin champion. :(  
> **username_6**: Or just copy/paste it from somewhere, e.g. [here](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=radicals).  

---

### Answer by username_7 on 2015-10-21. Score: 3

You just need an input method with a dictionary of bushou(部首) characters. While you are running Fedora Linux, I recommend you to try an open source input method engine called Rime. There are two front-ends available for Linux distros: ibus-rime and fcitx-rime. And it is cross-platfom, which means you can use your own configuration on Windows, Mac OS X and Android.
You can customize your own dictionary. For example, you can just input 'shuo' and get a candidate list containing "讠" and "訁". It's up to you and you don't have to learn an extra way to input Chinese characters like 五笔(Wubi).

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Just tried it, indeed Rime is a very powerful input method engine! It is very nice to be able to customize it! Even more when you are used to *NIX things!  

---

