muCiYu (μ词语)

Dan Mailman

2026-04-14

Language

muCiYu (μ词语)

Overview

muCiYu (μ词语) extends the duration-based μLex idea into Mandarin lexical input. The current demo is generated from ranked HZ+TP rows: a Hanzi lexical item plus a toneless pinyin (TP) keypath. The opening grid gives one-gesture access to the most frequent candidates while preserving typed prefix routes for deeper search.

The prefix rule is deliberately simple. If the current grid represents prefix P, pressing key k can move to prefix Pk. A keypath is a route for a candidate; Pk is the incremental prefix step that makes the route visible and navigable. Multi-character candidates can have sibling keypaths: full TP and TP-initial. For example, 中国 can be reached through zhongguo and through zg.

Gesture Short press Long press Prefix / overflow navigation
Result Send the displayed candidate, or open Pk when no candidate owns the key Open Pk when the same key has both a candidate and a child prefix Use < / > when a prefix family spans screens

Interactive Demo

Interaction Model

μ词语 demonstrates that duration-based interaction can expose Mandarin lexical items directly rather than only individual characters. The grid acts as both an input surface and a compact preview of the ranked candidates available at the current TP prefix.

The two sibling route strategies are full TP prefixing and TP-initial prefixing. A full TP route follows the candidate's toneless pinyin; a TP-initial route uses the first letter of each syllable for a multi-character candidate. This keeps fluent abbreviation available beside the learnable full path.

The current prototype makes lexical candidates the primary action. Shortpress sends a visible candidate when one is present. If that same key also leads to a deeper Pk prefix grid, longpress opens the prefix grid instead. When there is no separate longpress route, longpress sends the same candidate. Overflow pages use explicit < and > cells when a prefix family spans more than one screen.

Dissertation Context

In dissertation terms, μ词语 helps show that μLex-style duration logic is not limited to alphabetic or accent-driven cases. It can support a lexically organized Chinese input method in which ranked candidates, visible prefix transitions, and compact browsing work together.

The P to Pk strategy is central to that claim. A user can select very common items immediately, or continue through the TP prefix tree as needed. The same display therefore supports two legitimate strategies: quick selection from ranked candidates and deliberate narrowing through explicit phonetic prefixes.

Tooltips and toned-pinyin annotations make the live demo more legible for non-Chinese-speaking readers without changing the underlying action model. They help committee members and interviewers inspect how the candidate, pronunciation, and meaning are connected.

Design Priorities

  • Expose lexical candidates directly instead of hiding them behind an invisible candidate list.
  • Make prefix movement visible: each step from P to Pk narrows the displayed choices.
  • Use press duration to keep direct candidate entry and deeper prefix search in the same compact grid.
  • Support both scanning and memorized keypaths, so common items are quick while less common items remain systematically reachable.
  • Keep the top-left cell as orientation: μ词语 at the starter grid and the current prefix or page label deeper in the system.
  • Reserve the lower-right home cell as an inactive 选项 placeholder; non-home grids use / to return home.