A method for inputting Chinese characters to an electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a plurality of numeric input keys for inputting numeric numbers and a plurality of control keys for navigation, selection, and editing. The method includes decomposing a Chinese character into a plurality of character elements based on the structure of the character; identifying a plurality of Chinese number characters respectively corresponding to the character elements based on a first mapping; identifying a plurality of numeric input keys respectively corresponding to the Chinese number characters based on a second mapping; pressing the identified numeric input keys in a predetermined order; navigating to the wanted candidate in a list of character candidates with at least one of the control keys; selecting the wanted candidate with at least one of the control keys; and correcting any error made in the other steps with at least one of the control keys. The first mapping is based on the similarity in the shapes between the character elements and the Chinese number characters. The second mapping is essentially based on the meaning of the Chinese number characters. An apparatus for inputting Chinese characters is also provided.