Wubi (86) Input Code Lookup (五筆)

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the Wubi input method?+

  Wubi is a shape-based input method that encodes a character by its form rather than its sound, designed by Wang Yongmin, whose patent CN85100837A was filed in 1985. It decomposes each character into radicals mapped onto the 25 keys a–y, so you can type without knowing the pronunciation. This tool looks up the Wubi86 code for any character, or reverse-finds characters from a code.

• Which edition of Wubi does this tool use?+

  It uses the Wubi86 (五笔字型 86 edition) table, taken from the open-source Rime Wubi table. Wubi98 and a New Century edition also exist, with different radical regions and some different codes. If you use the 98 edition, codes may differ slightly — defer to the table shipped with your IME.

• Why does one character have several codes?+

  Because Wubi gives high-frequency characters simple codes. 中 has k (level 1), kh (level 2) and khk (its full code). Length alone does not decide it: a one-letter code is level 1; a two- or three-letter code that begins a longer code of the same character is level 2 or 3; anything else is a full code. A few characters carry two full spellings, and both are listed.

• What are simple codes and full codes?+

  A simple code is a shortened code for common characters: level-1 takes one key, level-2 two, level-3 three. A full code is the standard code from the complete decomposition rules, usually four letters. The patent keeps the full code valid for characters that have a simple code. A level-1 code is assigned by key and need not begin the full code (发: v / ntcy).

• How does the reverse (code → chars) lookup work?+

  In "Code → chars" mode, the tool builds a reverse index (code → character) when the data loads; you type a string of Wubi letters and it finds the matching characters. Exact matches are shown first, followed by characters whose code starts with what you typed. A z in the query stands for any one key. One code can map to several candidates.

• Does this send network requests or use AI?+

  No. Apart from loading this tool's own code-table JSON once, there are no network requests and no AI / large language model involved. Every lookup is a deterministic local table query: the same input always returns the same result.

• Is my input stored?+

  No. All lookups happen locally in your browser with no server calls, no tracking, and no storage. The characters or codes you type never leave your device.

• Why does the code differ from my own IME?+

  Two main reasons: (1) different edition — your IME may be Wubi98 or New Century, whose radical regions differ from the 86 edition this tool uses; (2) different simple-code choices — implementations don't always assign the same simple-code level to a character. This tool follows the open-source Rime Wubi86 table (钓, for instance, has the level-3 code qqy here and none in the Haifeng table).

• Can Wubi type traditional characters?+

  Yes. Wubi decomposes by shape, so traditional characters also have codes — though the radical breakdown may differ from the simplified form. This tool's table holds 70,944 single characters, traditional forms among them (國 is lakg); if a traditional character returns no code, try its simplified counterpart.

• Is Wubi better than pinyin input?+

  Each has strengths; there is no absolute answer. Wubi has few collisions, fast blind typing, handles rare characters, and ignores pronunciation — but it has a steeper learning curve, requiring you to memorise radicals and decomposition rules. Pinyin has almost no learning cost and is universal, but suffers many collisions and frequent candidate selection. This tool just looks up codes — it doesn't choose for you.