Recommended IMEs for Linux?

Japanese Language Resources
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Pretty much what the title says: What IMEs would you recommend for Linux?

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I recommend Google IME

Granted, right now I’m using Windows, but I used this IME in Linux as well.

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Ok, I’ll try it then :slight_smile: Thanks!

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If you want Google IME, probably mozc

Mozc is a Japanese Input Method Editor (IME) designed for multi-platform such as Android OS, Apple macOS, Chromium OS, GNU/Linux and Microsoft Windows. This OpenSource project originates from Google Japanese Input.

Probably install with fcitx Input Method Engine, not sure about fcitx5. IBus might be another option.

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I use arch btw. My preferred choice is fcitx5, which is an ime engine, then you can install mozc-ut into it to get a very good pairing. Both of these are thankfully in the aur if you use that as well, but they are also very well documented on the arch wiki if you need them set up on something else.

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If you’re using a wayland-based window manager, I would recommend wlanthy (https://github.com/st3r4g/wlanthy).
Obviously I’m still kinda new to the whole language but it definitely works so far.

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Nice, me too! Would you mind helping me then? :slight_smile:

I installed fcitx5, fcitx5-qt and fcitx5-configtool as well as mozc, but I somehow have no clue how to use it now :sweat_smile: Ok forget what I said, I figured it out lol, can I make a shortcut to switch between my regular keyboard and the IME, though?

I’m using X11, but still thanks :slight_smile:

There doesn’t seem to be official support from Google? Or am I too stupid to find it lol

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I am using mozc-ibus on openSUSE. I would recommend to change a setting so you’re automatically in hiragana mode. Otherwise you always have to manually change it.

Edit: Maybe mention if you’re on GNOME or KDE, depending on that it’s easier to assist you! :slight_smile:

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I’m actually (currently) on XFCE :slight_smile: I already found out how to use the mozc IME with fcitx5, but now I’d like to make a shortcut to switch between normal and Japanese mode

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Do you mean inside mozc or switching between different keyboard layouts? Because the latter is depending on your shell, which is why I was asking which one you use.

Also I’m on GNOME so can’t help with XFCE.

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Ofc, mine is set to windows + I, mess about in the config tool and you’ll find where. But you can also control it with dbus if it comes to that iirc. That has the benefit of making it always switchable, while with the official shortcut you need to be in an input field.

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Ctrl+Space or Alt+Space?

Have you added Japanese input? Share screenshot?

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Unfortunately, as it was in 2016, I have now completely forgot how I installed it on Linux. I had Ubuntu at that time, but I do remember that somehow I did manage to install that IME… :thinking:

Although to be fair, by now I’m not sure, maybe it was actually mozc that @polv さん has recommended… Sorry for being such a forgetful cat trunky_rolling

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Ctrl + Space seems to work when I have focus on an input field

What would you need a screenshot of? :slight_smile:

That’s exactly what I was looking for, thanks! How do I do that? I can’t find anything helpful when researching :sweat_smile:

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Dbus is one of those technologies where you won’t find a single direct guide for them usually. But you can snoop around with the tools that exist and see what methods a certain interface makes available. I certainly wouldn’t start with that, see if the default keybinding options cause an issue (generally they shouldn’t)

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I think Mozc is best for Xfce?

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I use mozc with fcitx5 (on Arch btw) because it’s the only way I managed to get the Japanese IME to work with my Dvorak layout. The others would generally revert to qwerty as soon as the IME was active which was really annoying for me.

To make it even more complicated I also need to have a third Russian Cyrillic keyboard in my rotation and fcitx handles that well (it always favors the last used layout when toggling, so if I’m just writing English and Russian or English and Japanese the third layout stays out of the way).

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This
I hate it so much on windows, reverting to qwerty, when I have a qwertz layout…

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Yeah I find that really strange. Of course Dvorak is not common but there are plenty of people using QWERTZ or AZERTY…

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Ok, I guess I’ll just explore it a bit :smile: Thanks for the help! While they don’t cause an issue, it’s still a bit annoying that I have to have an active input box in order to switch between normal and Japanese input (still better than Windows, though)

I don’t plan staying with xfce, I’m just using it temporary until I finished configuring i3 so that I have something I can work with :slight_smile: (don’t expect me to be finished too soon, though :rofl:)

I had the same issue, but @pembo helped me solving it here

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