A method and apparatus for inputting a character in a terminal are provided, in which a key input portion has at least one multi-key for use in inputting a plurality of characters, and when an other key is pressed while one of the at least one multi-key is pressed, a controller determines that one of characters following a first character among a plurality of characters mapped to the pressed multi-key has been input according to the distance between the pressed multi-key and the pressed other key.