Bopomofo

Bopomofo, also known as Zhuyin Fuhao (注音符號), is a Chinese phonetic writing system used to annotate Mandarin pronunciation. It was developed in the early 20th century by the Republic of China to support literacy and pronunciation teaching. It is most widely used in Taiwan, where it appears in textbooks, literacy primers, dictionaries, and as a child-friendly guide to pronunciation; it is also used in some educational settings and in certain signs and instructional materials.

The script includes 37 basic symbols: 21 initials and 16 finals, representing consonant and vowel sounds, and four tone marks are used to indicate Mandarin tones, with a neutral tone also recognized in practice. Zhuyin symbols are typically placed alongside or above Chinese characters to show their readings.

Bopomofo serves as a learning aid rather than a romanization system. It is used to teach pronunciation, guide reading, and provide input methods for typing Mandarin on computers and mobile devices. While it coexists with Chinese characters in Taiwan, it is less common outside Taiwan, where Pinyin is more widely used for romanization and input.

In computing and digital text, Zhuyin is encoded in Unicode, allowing its use in electronic fonts and keyboards. The standard blocks include Zhuyin (Bopomofo) characters and an extended set to cover additional phonetic needs.