How to add pinyin to Chinese characters
To put pinyin above Chinese characters, use Phonetic Guide in Microsoft Word: select the text, open it from the Home tab, and choose Chinese pinyin. For one word, a dictionary gives the pinyin directly. For reading practice, use a reader that shows pinyin above each character and lets you switch it off.
Word: Phonetic Guide
- Paste or type the Chinese text in Word.
- Select it, then click Phonetic Guide on the Home tab (拼音指南).
- Set the language to Chinese, choose a font size for the pinyin, and click OK.
One word at a time
Look the word up in the dictionary. It gives the pinyin with tone marks, and for characters with several readings it says which reading belongs to which word. If you only have numbered pinyin such as ni3 hao3, the pinyin tone converter turns it into nǐ hǎo.
Check what the tool gives you
Automatic pinyin is a guess about which reading fits. It fails on characters with more than one: 了 (le or liǎo), 行 (xíng or háng), 得 (de, dé or děi), 着, 为, 长. Read the sentence before you memorise the pinyin it printed.
Reading with pinyin on, then off
Pinyin above every character is a good way to start and a bad place to stay. GraphChinese shows it above the characters in lessons and readings and lets you turn it off as your reading improves. Typing is a separate skill: see how to type Chinese.
Frequently asked questions
How do I add pinyin above Chinese characters in Word?
Select the text, then on the Home tab choose Phonetic Guide (the 拼音指南 button, an A with 文 above it). Set the language to Chinese pinyin, adjust the font size, and click OK.
Can Google Docs add pinyin to characters?
Not on its own. Paste the text into Word and use Phonetic Guide, or read it in a tool that shows pinyin above the characters.
Is automatic pinyin always right?
No. Characters with more than one reading (了, 行, 得, 着, 为, 长) are the usual failures, because the reading depends on the word around them. Check any pinyin a tool adds to a sentence before you learn it.
How do I get the pinyin for a single word?
Look it up in the dictionary, which gives the pinyin with tone marks and the readings that differ by word.
Can I read Chinese with pinyin above every character as I learn?
Yes. GraphChinese can show pinyin above the characters in lessons and readings, and you can switch it off as you improve.
Read with pinyin on, then take it off when you are ready. The whole course, HSK 0 through HSK 6, is $49 once for lifetime access.
Start at your true level