Cangjie 3 vs Cangjie 5: What Changed and Which Codes Differ
Why the same character can have two Cangjie codes, the systematic changes between the third and fifth generations, and a table of common characters that differ.
Key takeaways
- Cangjie has been revised several times. The two versions you will meet are Cangjie 3 (第三代) and Cangjie 5 (第五代).
- They agree on the vast majority of characters. Among Hong Kong common characters in our dictionary, about 110 codes differ.
- The differences are systematic: a handful of components such as 乍, 鬼, 黃 and 非 are decomposed differently.
- This site uses Cangjie 5 codes and shows the Cangjie 3 code on a character’s page whenever it differs.
Why there are two versions
Chu Bong-Foo refined Cangjie over several generations as more characters were added and inconsistencies were found. The third generation was widely adopted in the 1980s and 1990s and underlies many system input methods. The fifth generation revised a number of decompositions to make them more regular and is used by many modern input method tables.
For a typist, the practical point is simple: if a code you learned doesn’t work, the other version may be in use.
The systematic changes
Most differences come from a small set of components. Once you know them, you can predict the rest.
| Component | Example | Cangjie 3 | Cangjie 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 乍 | 作 | OHS | OOS |
| 乍 | 昨 | AHS | AOS |
| 鬼 | 鬼 | HI | HUI |
| 鬼 | 魔 | IDHI | IDHUI |
| 黃 | 黃 | TMWC | TMLC |
| 非 | 非 | LMYYY | LMSY |
| 面 | 面 | MWYL | MWSL |
| 卑 | 卑 | HHJ | HWHJ |
| 丟 | 丟 | HGI | MGI |
| 產 | 產 | YHHQM | YKMHM |
In Cangjie 5, 乍 becomes OS (the top is read as 人), 鬼 gains a U for its hooked stroke, and 黃 is read with a vertical (L) rather than 田 (W). Each change affects every character containing that component, such as 炸, 窄, 塊, 愧, 醜, 魂 and 魏.
Which version does my device use?
This varies by input method and version, and some input methods accept both codes for common characters. The quickest test is to type 作: if OOS works you are on a Cangjie 5 table; if only OHS works, it is Cangjie 3. Our installation guide lists the settings on each platform.
Which should I learn?
Learn whichever your main device uses. The differences are small and mostly confined to the components above, so switching later costs an afternoon. Since dictionaries and online tools increasingly use Cangjie 5, it is a sensible default for new learners.
Frequently asked questions
Is Cangjie 5 better than Cangjie 3?
Cangjie 5 is more regular for the components it changed, but the two share almost all codes. Neither is wrong; they are different editions of the same system.
Where does this site get its Cangjie 3 codes?
From the kCangjie field of the Unicode Unihan database, which follows the older third-generation table.
Why does my phone accept both codes?
Some input methods include alternative codes for common characters so that users of either version can type them.
Related guides
Decomposition rules
The handful of rules that decide every Cangjie code, including head and body, single-unit characters, enclosures and keeping shapes whole, each shown with verified examples.
Install Cangjie on any device
Step-by-step settings to enable Cangjie or Quick on Windows 11, macOS, iPhone and iPad, and Android, plus how to switch input methods quickly.
Difficult characters (難拆字)
The characters that trip up every Cangjie learner, grouped by the reason they are hard, with the code for each and the pattern behind it.
History of Cangjie
From the legendary inventor of writing to Chu Bong-Foo’s 1976 input method, and how Cangjie became part of every computer and phone used in Hong Kong.