muCiYu

Interactive browser demo of muCiYu, a Mandarin-language μLex application.
Author

Dan Mailman

Published

April 14, 2026

μLex/μ词语 Demo

muCiYu

Overview

muCiYu extends the duration-based μLex idea into Mandarin lexical input. The opening grid presents a compact inventory of frequent items keyed to ordinary QWERTY letters and digits. A short press on a braced prefix opens a deeper grid and redraws the display with a narrower set of choices. A long press inputs the red candidate text.

Unlike a simple one-layer word board, muCiYu also has generated overflow pages for larger families. When a prefix family spans multiple screens, < and > cells move backward and forward as navigation routes through that sequence. The top-left cell shows μ词语 at the starter grid and shows the current prefix or page label deeper in the system.

Gesture Short press Long press Overflow navigation
Result Open a deeper prefix grid when one exists Input the red candidate text Use < / > when a family spans screens

In this phase, the browser app consumes a generated GridSpec package instead of inferring interface behavior directly from the CSV source. The staged render flow refreshes the package before Quarto renders the demo.

Interactive Demo

Short-press braced prefixes to go deeper. Long-press red candidates to input them.

Loading GridSpec package...

To Demonstrate muCiYu Functionality

  • Shortpress a braced prefix on the starter grid to open the next relevant prefix grid.
  • Longpress a red candidate to insert that lexical item into the typing area.
  • When a prefix family spans multiple screens, use the < and > cells to move backward and forward through the sequence.
  • Compare early longpress insertion with deeper prefix narrowing to see how users can either scan or keep typing prefixes.

Display

Package-driven 4 x 8 Mandarin lexical grid

Braced black prefixes indicate shortpress navigation; red text indicates longpress input.

Typing Area

In the current implementation, input actions send exactly the displayed lexical text, then return the app to the starter grid unless the JSON action names a different target grid.

Current Draft Behavior

  • The top-left title cell displays μ词语 at the starter grid and the current prefix or generated page label at deeper levels.
  • The < and > cells become previous/next navigation cells when a prefix family spans multiple sequence screens.
  • Braced black text signals shortpress navigation; red text signals longpress text input.
  • The lower-right cell is an inactive options placeholder on the home grid and a / home cell on non-home grids.

Interaction Model

muCiYu demonstrates that duration-based interaction can be used to surface Mandarin lexical items directly rather than only individual characters. The grid therefore acts both as an input surface and as a compact lexical preview of what can currently be selected.

A short press follows a visible prefix path when the JSON action says a deeper grid exists. A long press inputs the displayed red lexical candidate, so the same cell can support both direct output and guided prefix narrowing.

The overflow-page mechanism is important here. Some prefix families require more than one 4 x 8 screen, so the generated JSON supplies explicit < and > navigation cells. This lets the overall interaction remain compact while still supporting larger lexical families.

Dissertation Context

In dissertation terms, muCiYu helps show that μLex-style duration logic is not limited to alphabetic or accent-driven cases. It can also support a lexically organized Chinese demo in which selection depends on visible grouping, prefix transitions, and compact browsing through larger families.

The browser demo is therefore useful both as a prototype and as an explanatory figure. It makes the grouping logic visible on screen and shows how a duration- sensitive grid can mediate between direct lexical entry and deeper guided selection without falling back to opaque menus or invisible candidate lists.

Current Design Notes

  • The live interaction logic is now package-driven; the CSV remains the lexical source used by the converter.
  • The top-left cell shows μ词语 at the starter grid and the current prefix or generated page label at deeper levels.
  • The staged render flow refreshes generated JSON before Quarto renders from D:\DAN\TMP.
  • The lower-right cell is explicit JSON: inactive options on home, and / to return home on non-home grids.