PURPOSE: To inform a desired associative code even in case when a code is not known in case of an input, by executing a retrieval of a KANJI (Chinese character) associating code and a display of its retrieval result, basing on a combined information of a heading and a heading basic pattern.

CONSTITUTION: When an input of a retrieval key by an operator is detected, a control part 40 fetches the contents registered in a heading table 18, and transfers it to a CRT controller 12. The conroller 12 obtains a KANJI pattern corresponding to the contents of the table 18 from a KANJI pattern memory 13, and displays a heading list. The operator designates a heading by using this list, and subsequently, when a heading basic pattern key is operated, the control part 40 loads a heading corresponding key data corresponding to said key and a heading basic pattern disignating key data to the first and the second internal registers. Subsequently, a heading and KANJI file 17 is retrieved by using a connected information of them as an index. As a result, when an information related to a KANJI is obtained, a desired KANJI is displayed on a CRT monitor 11 together with a Chinese character associating code, etc. under the control of the controller 12.