Chinese HTML characters
January 31, 2006 2:51 AM Subscribe
Chinese writing help! I need to convert some Chinese characters from a menu into HTML characters...
Response by poster: Would it be better just to crop them down and have them as graphics then? My mac can show chinese characters. Doesn't windows install the language packs by default as well?
Apologies about the classified ad thingy- please ignore that, wasn't thinking.
posted by derbs at 3:04 AM on January 31, 2006
Apologies about the classified ad thingy- please ignore that, wasn't thinking.
posted by derbs at 3:04 AM on January 31, 2006
Yeah ... but it's something like a 250MB pack that few people add (it isn't a default).
Anyway, I suppose the route would be to find the Unicode for the character. Good luck. Use the http://zhongwen.com/ dictionary (click on the word "dictionary" on that first page). You can search by English, pinyin (and other transcription modes) as well as by radicals. If you find it, click on it ... a new window pops up. Look at the bottom for a Unihan link. That'll give you the code.
posted by RavinDave at 3:12 AM on January 31, 2006
Anyway, I suppose the route would be to find the Unicode for the character. Good luck. Use the http://zhongwen.com/ dictionary (click on the word "dictionary" on that first page). You can search by English, pinyin (and other transcription modes) as well as by radicals. If you find it, click on it ... a new window pops up. Look at the bottom for a Unihan link. That'll give you the code.
posted by RavinDave at 3:12 AM on January 31, 2006
(You're REALLY better off using .gifs -- seriously)
posted by RavinDave at 3:13 AM on January 31, 2006
posted by RavinDave at 3:13 AM on January 31, 2006
Response by poster: Wow, that's going to be harder than I thought... Thanks for the help RavinDave.
I'm going to have to use gifs, but i'll have to use the rubbish laminated menu. If i could find the unicodes i could at least produce the characters in Photoshop using a Chinese font... couldn't I?
posted by derbs at 3:21 AM on January 31, 2006
I'm going to have to use gifs, but i'll have to use the rubbish laminated menu. If i could find the unicodes i could at least produce the characters in Photoshop using a Chinese font... couldn't I?
posted by derbs at 3:21 AM on January 31, 2006
Actually, if you happen to find the character on that web site I gave you, there is an "Animate" (near the "Unihan" option) that will pop up a big 256x256 gif that would do quite nicely. Just right-click and copy.
posted by RavinDave at 3:27 AM on January 31, 2006
posted by RavinDave at 3:27 AM on January 31, 2006
You have to learn how to read a chinese-to-english dictionary. It's not that hard, you basicaly look things up by radical (a radical is a part of the character -- chinese words are built from these simple elements). I know how to do it, but I'm at work and my dictionary is at home (and I can't figure out the zhongwen.com hypertext system) . Also those are a lot of characters. Hopefully some chinese speaker will stop by and do it for you.
here is a bit more info, although I can't seem to find anything too spesific.
posted by delmoi at 7:46 AM on January 31, 2006
here is a bit more info, although I can't seem to find anything too spesific.
posted by delmoi at 7:46 AM on January 31, 2006
I'm going to have to use gifs, but i'll have to use the rubbish laminated menu. If i could find the unicodes i could at least produce the characters in Photoshop using a Chinese font... couldn't I?
Only if Photoshop supported chinese fonts, which it dosn't. (Or maybe it does now, I dunno. Photoshop 7 dosn't.) You can write in word and then screencopy the text into photoshop though.
posted by delmoi at 7:47 AM on January 31, 2006
Only if Photoshop supported chinese fonts, which it dosn't. (Or maybe it does now, I dunno. Photoshop 7 dosn't.) You can write in word and then screencopy the text into photoshop though.
posted by delmoi at 7:47 AM on January 31, 2006
Mod note: removed the classified ad part of the post per the poster, carry on
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 7:55 AM on January 31, 2006
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 7:55 AM on January 31, 2006
Response by poster: Thanks for the info delmoi :)
I found a basic translator on google, and translated the word "menu", and it came out with a chinese character which miraculously pasted into photoshop!
I think translating the other way round, especially with items such as "husband and wife beef in Sichaun chilli sauce" is going to be way over my head :)
I'd better ask the owner of the restaurant if he could supply me with the original files if he's got them.
thanks everyone!
posted by derbs at 8:14 AM on January 31, 2006
I found a basic translator on google, and translated the word "menu", and it came out with a chinese character which miraculously pasted into photoshop!
I think translating the other way round, especially with items such as "husband and wife beef in Sichaun chilli sauce" is going to be way over my head :)
I'd better ask the owner of the restaurant if he could supply me with the original files if he's got them.
thanks everyone!
posted by derbs at 8:14 AM on January 31, 2006
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by RavinDave at 2:57 AM on January 31, 2006