multiple digraphs in vim

Question

As you probably know, there is ability to enter some specific characters in vim using digraphs (In input mode Ctrl+K Rg produces ® for example).

Is there a way, to define hotkey, to enter the mode which allows me to input multiple digraphs? For example, to write "sayonara" instead of "Ctrl+K sa Ctrl+K yo Ctrl+K na Ctrl+K ra" to get "さよなら".

Answer 1

Not that I know. However you can imagine this:

exec 'normal! i' . substitute('sayonara', '\(..\)', nr2char(11) . '\1', 'g')

nr2char(11) is a CTRL-K character.

If you want a mapping for that (for example in visual mode hit F1 over the selection to transform it; use this on one-line characterwise selection only):

xnoremap <f1> d:exec 'normal! a' . substitute(@", '\(..\)', nr2char(11) . '\1', 'g')<ENTER>

There might be more proper ways to do that (without erasing the contents of the default register) but I will be too lazy for today. I suspect some Stackers might want to post another answer with cleaner code, they'll get my upvote.

Answer 2

This is an old question but the given answer seems unnecessarily complex.

iab sayonara さよなら

In your .vimrc will mean that every time you type sayonara you'll get さよなら

See :help abbreviations - iab is 'insert abbreviation' which I use extensively for bad spellings, digraph substitution etc.