How do Chinese characters get typed into computers and texts?

well, how on earth do Chinese characters, there being over 1000, get to be typed into computers and textx? We type in each letter onto a board or in a phone, but how can you possibly get that amny characters onto a keyboard? Am I missing something here? Please help

How do Chinese characters get typed into computers and texts?microsoft

Hi Ridiculousthing, I hate repeated answers, so I'll just post the link from my previous entry, and let you read the contents therein. The user Alex gave a very good answer. I have always felt that he should have gotten the Best Answer because he did it better FIRST. Mine was edited later on when I saw how incomplete my answer was compared to his.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

How do Chinese characters get typed into computers and texts?norton ghost

you can type in pinyin, you have to set it up on your computer by going to the control panel and the regional settings and set it up to type for chinese and type in pinyin. after words you can click on the bottom bar of your computer and select. you can type ni hao and it will turn to 浣犲ソ which is hello.
it depends.................

I use pinyin...

this is Latin..............

for example i write "shi" and computer shows me all characters with this pronoutiation....