PURPOSE: To obtain a desired character in KANJI (Chinese character) and to display information on the reading of the KANJI character at the same time, by inputting the number of strokes and displaying characters in KANJI with the number of strokes, and selectively inputting the characters in KANJI.

CONSTITUTION: Control over stroke-number keys (KEY) and display character selection keys (INKEY), retrieval of a desired character from a KANJI font pattern memory (KPROM) and a reading information storage memory (YROM), control over output to a display body (DISP), etc., are performed through the software of a microprocessor (MPU). The MPU performs control over the main equipment, arithmetic, and input and output control, and the KPROM is a POM stored with the number of strokes of each KANJI and KANJJ font patterns. A buffer memory BUFF is an RAM for displaying a character patterns, selected among the character patterns in the KPROM, on the display body DISP. With the INKEY, a display character is selected and with the KEY, the number of strokes is inputted.