<p>I have been able to purchase in China books that have different styles of handwriting including shortcuts. They also have a layer of thin paper over the top of each page so you can trace.</p>

<p>You can also look for books that show common characters written in different styles from print, traditional to script etc.</p>

<p>This is not something you will be taught unless you pay someone to go through with you, as it's not commonly taught in classes.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-12-13T21:51:50.683Z
2011-12-15T03:45:53.720Z
2011-12-15T03:45:53.720Z
going
<p>The modern handwriting scripts of Chinese characters are 楷书, 行书 and 草书.</p>

<p>楷书 is the standard and official handwriting script, which is made up by 笔画 (strokes) and looks like printing script. It is the only handwriting script taught in primary schools in China, because it is the only legal standard of handwriting script.</p>

<p>行书 is the handwriting script that writes much faster and much more scrawled than 楷书. It is a shortcut of Chinese characters. 行书 connects several strokes together as if one stroke in order to write faster.</p>

<p>草书 is the handwriting script that writes much faster and much more scrawled than 行书. It is a better shortcut of Chinese characters, because it connects more strokes and even omits many strokes, in order to write much faster. However, 草书 is too scrawled to be recognized even by native Chinese speakers.</p>

<p>For most of the native Chinese adults, 行书 is used in handwriting, because 楷书 writes too slowly and 草书 is too difficult to recognize.</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/bSJnt.jpg" alt="楷书"></p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/bM1Eu.jpg" alt="行书"></p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/xXDeU.jpg" alt="草书"></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-01-20T15:21:32.570Z
Where did you get the 行书 and 草书 samples? Are they available as a font?
Steve
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-04T00:39:39.370Z
@Steve  Yes, they are. There are some computer fonts for 行书 and 草书 for special use, although 行书 and 草书 are handwriting scripts and are seldom used in printing. Some fonts are even free of charge. Click [here](http://font.chinaz.com/tag_font/XingShuZiTi.html) and [here](http://font.chinaz.com/tag_font/CaoShuZiTi.html) to download some free computer fonts for 行书 and 草书.
Victor
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-12-31T15:50:36.397Z
2013-12-31T16:21:28.630Z
2013-12-31T16:21:28.630Z
Victor
<p>I don't think that you are taught to write "cursive" in Chinese, most of it is something people just adapt naturally. You just need a really good grasp of characters to understand it. Sometimes people write fast and tend to simplify parts. There is no standard mold for cursive like in english.</p>

<p>But what you can do is read a lot of handwritten documents, just doing that will allow you to see the patterns of how people write.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-12-25T18:54:38.953Z
not true. the rules of grass script went into a lot of simplified characters, and when you write cursive, you integrate those rules with other common practices.
magnetar
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-12-15T04:14:36.967Z
there are more or less standard abbreviations aren't there?? like 口 becoming something that looks more like Ω rotated 90 degrees clockwise.
jsj
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-12-13T23:29:56.607Z
2011-12-13T23:29:56.607Z
mugetsu
<p>I don't know why I didn't think of this earlier and I'm even more surprised no one thought of this before me, well, I'm sure someone did just didn't find it on the internet.</p>

<p>I was installing fonts and noticed some of the fonts that came with my operating system - OS X Mountain Lion - was cursive Chinese. So a thought occurred to me. Cut and paste the same text but format each version with different fonts and compare. This has really helped me learn how to read cursive better. Bonus is it's free and customizable. Hope this helps. The middle font really isn't cursive, but it's blocky handwriting and different enough from "standard" text to see a slight contrast.</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/jzMDz.png" alt="Sample of KaiTi, XingKai and kid-like block HW font">
<img src="https://i.sstatic.net/jIyrl.png" alt="Sample calligraphy fonts"></p>

<hr>

<p>Here is a page where you input a couple of words and it'll render them in different handwritten fonts:  <a href="http://font.chinaz.com/tag_font/CaoShuZiTi.html" rel="noreferrer">http://font.chinaz.com/tag_font/CaoShuZiTi.html</a></p>

<p><hr>
I also bought this book from the US Amazon store and recommend it.</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/eJPGM.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-03-29T23:46:26.193Z
That looks a nice cursive typeface. What's the name of it?
user58955
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-03-30T10:59:27.820Z
XingKai SC, it's built into OS X. Not sure how to get it on Windows/Linux.
Steve
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-12-19T20:41:36.753Z
Here's a link for Chinese Cursive Script on amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Chinese-Cursive-Script-Introduction-Publications/dp/0887100333/
alxndr
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-10-26T08:16:04.660Z
@Steve Could you hand out a copy of it? This resource is not available at my university library, and currently I cannot afford acquiring one.
GJC
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-12-19T12:52:56.573Z
2014-03-30T11:06:54.523Z
2014-03-30T11:06:54.523Z
Steve
<p>How can I get better at reading handwriting? Are there fonts that look like it, or web sites with examples for practice? Are there some common shortcuts that people take when writing by hand?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-12-13T21:37:23.943Z
For Q3 - there are, but I don't know them well enough. One think I do know is very common, at least on the mainland, is using the Japanese の in place of 的
JIStone
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-12-13T21:48:41.863Z
I've never seen の used anywhere on the mainland - does it tend to be used in particular scenarios?
Cocowalla
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-12-13T23:28:21.210Z
@Cocowalla I recall seeing の in the mainland when I was there a while back. It was on some ad I believe. I was pretty surprised though, since it's hiragana.
mugetsu
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-12-13T23:30:33.827Z
@JIStone: that's clever, because 的 has way too many strokes to be the most commonly used character :D
Petruza
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-12-15T04:06:24.927Z
@JIStone I doubt you have seen の in China mainland not where a Japanese restaurant or something like that. Maybe you saw is a symbol like の or δ which used to replace second character in a repeated word like 高高兴兴
Alex Chen
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-12-19T20:58:59.943Z
Q3: common radical shortcuts I can remember: 口 turning into something that looks like a vertical stroke that turns right into a curvy-topped 2. 忄 turning into something that looks like a tall skinny lowercase Greek phi φ. The 2nd and 3rd strokes of 女 running together so it looks like it could be Hiragana. 2nd and 3rd strokes of 斤 running together so it looks like a flat line atop a zigzag. 2nd 3rd & 4th strokes of 方 running together so it looks like a 丶 on top of a pointy 3. Both 廴 and 辶 running together to look like an L with a wiggly vertical line.
alxndr
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-12-20T02:06:46.283Z
I believe if you gain enough experience, you can read most written scripts but cursive ones. Cursive script diverged from the *standard* printing font very early and require much training to recognize them
phoeagon
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-12-31T16:34:26.643Z
Many Chinese people writes 々 to mean the same Chinese character as the last one, which is called 叠字符号 or 重文号, literal meaning: iteration marks.
Victor
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-12-31T16:41:50.213Z
@JIStone  I have never seen Chinese people writes の instead of 的. Native Chinese speakers only write curves like "m" to means 的, which is the 草书 script of 的, such as [this](https://i.sstatic.net/jSm52.jpg), [this](https://i.sstatic.net/spOAh.jpg) and [this](https://i.sstatic.net/n3LaQ.jpg).
Victor
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-13T09:47:53.910Z
For Q3, buy a Chinese Characters copybook and ignore 草书"cursive Chinese".
Voyager
<characters><writing><reading><handwriting>
How can I get better at reading handwriting?
# How can I get better at reading handwriting?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2011-12-13)

How can I get better at reading handwriting? Are there fonts that look like it, or web sites with examples for practice? Are there some common shortcuts that people take when writing by hand?

**Tags:** characters, writing, reading, handwriting
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: For Q3 - there are, but I don't know them well enough. One think I do know is very common, at least on the mainland, is using the Japanese の in place of 的  
> **username_2**: I've never seen の used anywhere on the mainland - does it tend to be used in particular scenarios?  
> **username_3**: @Cocowalla I recall seeing の in the mainland when I was there a while back. It was on some ad I believe. I was pretty surprised though, since it's hiragana.  
> **username_4**: @JIStone: that's clever, because 的 has way too many strokes to be the most commonly used character :D  
> **username_5**: @JIStone I doubt you have seen の in China mainland not where a Japanese restaurant or something like that. Maybe you saw is a symbol like の or δ which used to replace second character in a repeated word like 高高兴兴  
> **username_6**: Q3: common radical shortcuts I can remember: 口 turning into something that looks like a vertical stroke that turns right into a curvy-topped 2. 忄 turning into something that looks like a tall skinny lowercase Greek phi φ. The 2nd and 3rd strokes of 女 running together so it looks like it could be Hiragana. 2nd and 3rd strokes of 斤 running together so it looks like a flat line atop a zigzag. 2nd 3rd & 4th strokes of 方 running together so it looks like a 丶 on top of a pointy 3. Both 廴 and 辶 running together to look like an L with a wiggly vertical line.  
> **username_7**: I believe if you gain enough experience, you can read most written scripts but cursive ones. Cursive script diverged from the *standard* printing font very early and require much training to recognize them  
> **username_8**: Many Chinese people writes 々 to mean the same Chinese character as the last one, which is called 叠字符号 or 重文号, literal meaning: iteration marks.  
> **username_8**: @JIStone  I have never seen Chinese people writes の instead of 的. Native Chinese speakers only write curves like "m" to means 的, which is the 草书 script of 的, such as [this](https://i.sstatic.net/jSm52.jpg), [this](https://i.sstatic.net/spOAh.jpg) and [this](https://i.sstatic.net/n3LaQ.jpg).  
> **username_9**: For Q3, buy a Chinese Characters copybook and ignore 草书"cursive Chinese".  

---

## 4 answers

### Answer by username_11 on 2013-12-19. Score: 10 | Accepted answer

I don't know why I didn't think of this earlier and I'm even more surprised no one thought of this before me, well, I'm sure someone did just didn't find it on the internet.

I was installing fonts and noticed some of the fonts that came with my operating system - OS X Mountain Lion - was cursive Chinese. So a thought occurred to me. Cut and paste the same text but format each version with different fonts and compare. This has really helped me learn how to read cursive better. Bonus is it's free and customizable. Hope this helps. The middle font really isn't cursive, but it's blocky handwriting and different enough from "standard" text to see a slight contrast.

![Sample of KaiTi, XingKai and kid-like block HW font](https://i.sstatic.net/jzMDz.png)
![Sample calligraphy fonts](https://i.sstatic.net/jIyrl.png)

---

Here is a page where you input a couple of words and it'll render them in different handwritten fonts: <http://font.chinaz.com/tag_font/CaoShuZiTi.html>

---

I also bought this book from the US Amazon store and recommend it.

![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/eJPGM.jpg)

> **Comments:**
> **username_6**: Here's a link for Chinese Cursive Script on amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Chinese-Cursive-Script-Introduction-Publications/dp/0887100333/  
> **username_14**: That looks a nice cursive typeface. What's the name of it?  
> **username_11**: XingKai SC, it's built into OS X. Not sure how to get it on Windows/Linux.  
> **username_15**: @Steve Could you hand out a copy of it? This resource is not available at my university library, and currently I cannot afford acquiring one.  

---

### Answer by username_10 on 2011-12-13. Score: 10

I have been able to purchase in China books that have different styles of handwriting including shortcuts. They also have a layer of thin paper over the top of each page so you can trace.

You can also look for books that show common characters written in different styles from print, traditional to script etc.

This is not something you will be taught unless you pay someone to go through with you, as it's not commonly taught in classes.


---

### Answer by username_8 on 2013-12-31. Score: 6

The modern handwriting scripts of Chinese characters are 楷书, 行书 and 草书.

楷书 is the standard and official handwriting script, which is made up by 笔画 (strokes) and looks like printing script. It is the only handwriting script taught in primary schools in China, because it is the only legal standard of handwriting script.

行书 is the handwriting script that writes much faster and much more scrawled than 楷书. It is a shortcut of Chinese characters. 行书 connects several strokes together as if one stroke in order to write faster.

草书 is the handwriting script that writes much faster and much more scrawled than 行书. It is a better shortcut of Chinese characters, because it connects more strokes and even omits many strokes, in order to write much faster. However, 草书 is too scrawled to be recognized even by native Chinese speakers.

For most of the native Chinese adults, 行书 is used in handwriting, because 楷书 writes too slowly and 草书 is too difficult to recognize.

![楷书](https://i.sstatic.net/bSJnt.jpg)

![行书](https://i.sstatic.net/bM1Eu.jpg)

![草书](https://i.sstatic.net/xXDeU.jpg)

> **Comments:**
> **username_11**: Where did you get the 行书 and 草书 samples? Are they available as a font?  
> **username_8**: @Steve  Yes, they are. There are some computer fonts for 行书 and 草书 for special use, although 行书 and 草书 are handwriting scripts and are seldom used in printing. Some fonts are even free of charge. Click [here](http://font.chinaz.com/tag_font/XingShuZiTi.html) and [here](http://font.chinaz.com/tag_font/CaoShuZiTi.html) to download some free computer fonts for 行书 and 草书.  

---

### Answer by username_3 on 2011-12-13. Score: 5

I don't think that you are taught to write "cursive" in Chinese, most of it is something people just adapt naturally. You just need a really good grasp of characters to understand it. Sometimes people write fast and tend to simplify parts. There is no standard mold for cursive like in english.

But what you can do is read a lot of handwritten documents, just doing that will allow you to see the patterns of how people write.

> **Comments:**
> **username_13**: there are more or less standard abbreviations aren't there?? like 口 becoming something that looks more like Ω rotated 90 degrees clockwise.  
> **username_12**: not true. the rules of grass script went into a lot of simplified characters, and when you write cursive, you integrate those rules with other common practices.  

---

