PURPOSE: To enable the use of KANJI (Chinese character) through small-scale hardware by registering previously the data of the reading of KANJI by making it correspond to a KANJI code, and reading desired KANJI with the clue of the data of the reading.

CONSTITUTION: A code corresponding to KANJI to be registered and the data of the reading of KANJI are inputted consecutively from an inputting means 10, and stored in a storing means 12 by being coordinated to each other. When the date of the reading of KANJI desired to retrieve is inputted from the inputting means 10, the data of the reading stored in the storing means 12 is read out successively, and collated with the inputted data of the reading. As the result of collation, when they coincide with each other, the KANJI code corresponding to the coincident data of the reading is outputted, and KANJI corresponding to this code is displayed. Thus, KANJI comes to be capable of being used through the small-scale hardware which can be packaged even in the electronic pocketbook of the IC type.