Language input keys

Language input keys are keys designed to translate letters entered by users, usually found on Japanese and Korean keyboards, for use with an input method editor.

Keys for Japanese Keyboards

Kanji (漢字)

Used to switch between entering Japanese and English text. It is not found as a separate key in the modern Japanese 106/109-key keyboard layout, but it is found on the IBM PS/55 5576-001 keyboard. On the IBM PS/55 5576-002 keyboard, it is mapped to the left Alt key. Many other 106/109-key keyboards do not label it as the Kanji key. On the Common Building Block (CBB) Keyboard for Notebooks, the Kanji key is located on the Half-width/Full-width key.

Conversion (変換)

Used to convert kana to kanji. In the Microsoft IME, Conversion selects conversion candidates on highlighted input, and Shift + Conversion is used to display the previous candidate, or "zenkouho" (前侯補). The alt version of this key is also pronounced zenkouho (全侯補), which means "all candidates", shows all input candidates.

Non-conversion (無変換)

Specifies that the kana characters entered are not to be converted into kanji candidates.

Half-width/Full-width (半角/全角)

Toggles between entering half-width or full-width characters (if 2 versions of same character exists). In Japanese 106/109-key, it is located at the upper-left corner of typing area.

Hiragana/Katakana (ひらがな/カタカナ)

Used to switch between hiragana or katakana characters.

Alphanumeric (英数)

Toggles alphanumeric characters. In the Japanese 106/109-key layout, it is located on the Caps Lock key.

Keys for Korean Keyboards

Han/Young (한/영)

Toggles between entering Korean (Hangul) and English (Youngja) characters. On the Common Building Block (CBB) Keyboard for Notebooks, this key is located on the right Alt key.

Hanja (한자)

Switched to enter Chinese characters (hanja) on a Korean keyboard. On the Common Building Block (CBB) Keyboard for Notebooks, this key is located on the right Ctrl key.

External links

* [http://www.win.tue.nl/~aeb/linux/kbd/scancodes-8.html Japanese keyboards]
* [http://www.win.tue.nl/~aeb/linux/kbd/scancodes-9.html Korean keyboards]
* [http://homepage3.nifty.com/sandy55/5576/5576.html 5576 Keyboard Series]