JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground

HTML

<div id="theWord">tjurkey</div>

CSS

.highlight {
    background: yellow;
}

JavaScript

var $target = $('#theWord'),
    t = ''
$("body").keypress(function(e) {
if (e.which !== 0) {
    t += String.fromCharCode(e.which);
    var text = $target.text(),
        pos = text.search(t);
    if(pos > -1){
        $target.html(text.substring(0,pos)+'<span class="highlight">'+t+'</span>'+text.substring(pos+t.length));      
    }else{
        $target.text(text);
    }
}
});