How do you dictate in Chinese on a Mac?

To dictate in Chinese on a Mac, add a Mandarin Chinese language in Dictation settings, switch to it before you speak, and then check the output. Apple lists two Mandarin entries for Dictation, and the one you choose matters if you want on-device processing. Apple's pages do not say which character set (Simplified or Traditional) the output uses, so test a sentence with the characters you write before you rely on it.

Add Mandarin Chinese in Dictation settings

Dictation languages are set in Keyboard settings. Go to Dictation, click Edit next to Languages, then select the Mandarin entry you want ¹.

The main Dictation list has two Mandarin entries: Mandarin Chinese (China mainland) and Mandarin (Taiwan) ². Add the one that matches the Mandarin you speak and the region you write for.

Choose the Mandarin row with on-device processing in mind

Apple's list of on-device Dictation also includes Mandarin Chinese (China mainland) ³. That list is for on-device and modeless Dictation, and it requires a download of speech models ⁴. If you want speech processed on the Mac, pick a row that appears on that list, such as the mainland row, and check that the model is downloaded in Keyboard settings.

Check the row you pick against Apple's on-device list before you rely on it. Apple's page lists languages by row, so the Taiwan entry needs its own check.

Switch to Mandarin before you speak

Once Mandarin is added with other languages, you switch to it while you dictate. Click the language next to the cursor, or press the Globe key if your keyboard has one, and choose the Mandarin entry you added ⁵. Check the label before each session, because a Mandarin session that starts in another language will produce text in that language.

Automatic punctuation uses different Chinese labels

Apple's auto-punctuation list for Dictation uses Chinese labels that do not match the main list. It names Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional) and Cantonese (Taiwan) as separate entries ⁶. Apple does not say which Mandarin row on the main list matches those labels. So do not assume automatic punctuation is on for your Mandarin entry. Dictate a test sentence and see which marks appear.

Which character set you get is not documented

Apple's pages do not say whether Mandarin dictation outputs Simplified or Traditional characters, and they do not say whether Taiwan Mandarin output uses Traditional characters. To test it, dictate a sentence that uses characters with both forms, such as a term you use often, and read the result. If the output is in the wrong set, check it again before you use the output in a formal document.

Why dictating Chinese can be faster than typing it

Dictating can save time when the alternative is a Pinyin keyboard. In a 2018 controlled study on an iPhone, Mandarin Chinese entered by speech reached 123 words per minute, against 43 words per minute with the Pinyin keyboard ^{7 8}. That study used a 2016-era recognizer on a phone, not Dictation on a Mac, and it counted finished text, including corrections. Treat it as a sign of the gap, not as your own speed.

Steps

1. Choose Apple menu > System Settings, click Keyboard, then go to Dictation.
2. Click Edit next to Languages, select the Mandarin row that matches your region, and check the model is downloaded if you want on-device processing.
3. Click the language next to the cursor, or press the Globe key, and choose Mandarin before you speak.
4. Dictate a test sentence, and check the characters and punctuation.
5. If the output is in the wrong script, or punctuation is missing, change the setting you can see and test again, then compare your results with the rest of the Mac dictation languages guide.

If the wrong language still appears after you switch, see why Mac dictation types in the wrong language. If you mix Chinese and English in one sentence, see the question on two languages at once.