How to send virtual key code to a function as a char or string?

void anyKey(char key[20]){
        //copy paste
        INPUT ip;
        ip.type = INPUT_KEYBOARD;
        ip.ki.wScan = 0; 
        ip.ki.time = 0;
        ip.ki.dwExtraInfo = 0;

        //pressed any given key
        ip.ki.wVk = key;
        ip.ki.dwFlags = 0; // 0 for key press
        SendInput(1, &ip, sizeof(INPUT));

        //released any given key
        ip.ki.wVk = key;
        ip.ki.dwFlags = KEYEVENTF_KEYUP;
        SendInput(1, &ip, sizeof(INPUT));
}

I want to send vKeys from another funtion to here.

For eg: anyKey("0x44"); or anyKey("VK_ESCAPE");

I tried string also. its giving me this error:

invalid conversion from 'char*' to 'WORD {aka short unsigned int}' [-fpermissive]|

cannot convert 'std::__cxx11::string {aka std::__cxx11::basic_string}' to 'WORD {aka short unsigned int}' in assignment|