How to Type Mandarin Pinyin Accents on Any Keyboard
Hanyu Pinyin shows the four Mandarin tones with a macron (ā), acute (á), caron (ǎ) and grave (à) over vowels, plus ü. Here is how to type each of them on a computer or phone, whether you write Mandarin Pinyin every day or only need the odd name.
Mandarin Pinyin letters: ā á ǎ à ē é ě è ī í ǐ ì ō ó ǒ ò ū ú ǔ ù ǖ ǘ ǚ ǜ ü
Shortcut chart
| Letter | Windows | Mac | Word | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ā | Win+. symbols | Option+0101 (Hex Input) | 0101 Alt+X | hold a |
| á | Alt+0225 | Option+E, then A | Ctrl+', then A | hold a |
| ǎ | Win+. symbols | Option+01CE (Hex Input) | 01CE Alt+X | add Mandarin Pinyin keyboard |
| à | Alt+0224 | Option+`, then A | Ctrl+`, then A | hold a |
| ē | Win+. symbols | Option+0113 (Hex Input) | 0113 Alt+X | hold e |
| é | Alt+0233 | Option+E, then E | Ctrl+', then E | hold e |
| ě | Win+. symbols | Option+011B (Hex Input) | 011B Alt+X | add Mandarin Pinyin keyboard |
| è | Alt+0232 | Option+`, then E | Ctrl+`, then E | hold e |
| ī | Win+. symbols | Option+012B (Hex Input) | 012B Alt+X | hold i |
| í | Alt+0237 | Option+E, then I | Ctrl+', then I | hold i |
| ǐ | Win+. symbols | Option+01D0 (Hex Input) | 01D0 Alt+X | add Mandarin Pinyin keyboard |
| ì | Alt+0236 | Option+`, then I | Ctrl+`, then I | hold i |
| ō | Win+. symbols | Option+014D (Hex Input) | 014D Alt+X | hold o |
| ó | Alt+0243 | Option+E, then O | Ctrl+', then O | hold o |
| ǒ | Win+. symbols | Option+01D2 (Hex Input) | 01D2 Alt+X | add Mandarin Pinyin keyboard |
| ò | Alt+0242 | Option+`, then O | Ctrl+`, then O | hold o |
| ū | Win+. symbols | Option+016B (Hex Input) | 016B Alt+X | hold u |
| ú | Alt+0250 | Option+E, then U | Ctrl+', then U | hold u |
| ǔ | Win+. symbols | Option+01D4 (Hex Input) | 01D4 Alt+X | add Mandarin Pinyin keyboard |
| ù | Alt+0249 | Option+`, then U | Ctrl+`, then U | hold u |
| ǖ | Win+. symbols | Option+01D6 (Hex Input) | 01D6 Alt+X | add Mandarin Pinyin keyboard |
| ǘ | Win+. symbols | Option+01D8 (Hex Input) | 01D8 Alt+X | add Mandarin Pinyin keyboard |
| ǚ | Win+. symbols | Option+01DA (Hex Input) | 01DA Alt+X | add Mandarin Pinyin keyboard |
| ǜ | Win+. symbols | Option+01DC (Hex Input) | 01DC Alt+X | add Mandarin Pinyin keyboard |
| ü | Alt+0252 | Option+U, then U | Ctrl+Shift+:, then U | hold u |
Option 1: add the Mandarin Pinyin keyboard
If you write Mandarin Pinyin often, add its keyboard layout. On Windows, open Settings → Time & language → Language & region, add Mandarin Pinyin or add its keyboard under your current language, and switch with Win+Space. On a Mac, open System Settings → Keyboard → Text Input → Edit and add the Mandarin Pinyin layout. On iPhone and Android, add the Mandarin Pinyin keyboard in keyboard settings and switch with the globe key.
A native layout moves some punctuation keys, so print or note where they sit before you switch.
Option 2: use shortcuts on your current keyboard
Keep your usual layout and use the codes in the chart. On Windows the US-International layout covers many Western European accents with dead keys. On a Mac, Option+E, Option+`, Option+I, Option+U and Option+N cover the acute, grave, circumflex, umlaut and tilde, and Unicode Hex Input covers everything else.
Option 3: copy and paste
For occasional use, copy letters from the Mandarin Pinyin letters page. Click a letter to copy it, or click several to build a word in the text box first.