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How to Type ü in Pinyin (It Is Just the v Key)

The two dots look like a problem, and then you learn the rule: on a keyboard, ü is v. Every real pinyin input method follows it, including the one this site grades against.

The rule

Type v wherever a syllable has ü. The input method turns it into ü on screen.

  • 女 (woman) → nv
  • 绿 (green) → lv
  • 略 (brief) → lve

When ü is written as u

After j, q, x and y, the two dots are dropped in writing even though the sound is still ü. You type the plain letter u, and it is still correct.

This trips people up because the spelling and the pronunciation disagree — the spelling is conventional, not phonetic.

  • 句 (sentence) → ju
  • 去 (go) → qu
  • 学 (learn) → xue
  • 鱼 (fish) → yu

After n and l, keep the dots

With n and l the ü stays written as ü (typed as v), because plain u is already a different sound there.

Compare: 路 lù (road) is lu, but 绿 lǜ (green) is lv. Mixing them up changes the word.

Practising it

TypingChinese grades against the same convention, so what you learn here transfers directly to Microsoft Pinyin, Gboard and every other IME.

Now practise it

Your keyboard is set up. Type pinyin, get graded letter by letter, and let spaced repetition bring back the words you miss. No account.

Other guides

TypingChinese is open source — view the code on GitHub.