Most Cantonese input methods require you either know what the character looks like or what its Mandarin pinyin is. The goal of this input method is to be able to input a character based on what it actually sounds like. This can be useful for foreigners learning Cantonese who hear a new word and would like to try to input it to a translation app, and also native Cantonese speakers who wish to have an input method that doesn't need them to know exactly what the character looks like or know Mandarin.
The way the input method works is that the key board is divided into 3 sections: initials, middles and finals. To type a word, first type the key on the left section corresponding to the initial sound of the word.
[The initials are:
b 巴, p 怕, m 媽, f 花,
d 打, t 他, n 那, l 啦,
g 家, gw 瓜, k 卡, kw 誇,
y 也, w 蛙, ng 牙, h 蝦,
jz 走, ts 秋, s 手,
zh 張, ch 長, sh 上]
Then, if applicable, press the key that corresponds to the middle/vowel of the word.
[The middles are:
aah 間, uh 巾,
aw港, eur 薑,
oh 工, eh 鏡,
eeh 見, ih京,
ooh 館, ü 捲]
Then, if applicable, press the key that corresponds to the final of the word.
[The finals are:
i 洗, u 手,
m 心, p 十,
n 新, t 實,
ng 生, k 塞]
The ‘-‘ key is if there is no final or middle and you want to start the next word.
Some difficult case examples: 我[ng-aw], 去[h-eur-i], 教 [g-aah-u], 狗 [g-uh-u], 小 [s-eeh-u], 龍 [l-oh-ng], 會 [w-ooh-i].
After the first word is inputted and the initial of the next word is inputted, the suggestions will start displaying multi-character suggestions.
The app is in its testing stage so please let me know about bugs if words are missing.
After installation the app itself will appear as an empty screen. This is normal as there are currently no customizable settings. In order to use the keyboard you may need to go into “On Screen Keyboards” in your phone’s “Settings/General/Language & Input” and turn on the keyboard and accept permissions. The app does not require an internet connection and does not store or collect any data. Also depending on your current keyboards and models, you might not be able to switch between this keyboard and your normal keyboard with the usual change language button on the keyboards, and instead when your normal keyboard has appeared and you would like to change to this one or vice-versa, swipe down from the top into notifications and you should see a keyboard "notification" which you can press to change to a different keyboard.
The app is somewhat based off of the CC-edict Cantonese dictionary. If you have words/pronunciations/phrases you want me to add just let me know as I don't collect any data.
I am just one person making this app, if you wish to help develop the app, email me at
[email protected]. If the app is useful to you, consider donating (once I figure out how to set that up...)