How to say "handwriting" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 手書きてがきnounHandwriting in the sense of text produced by hand rather than typed or printed; it focuses on the act or method of writing. Typical when noting that a form, letter, or document is handwritten.
- 筆跡ひっせきno-adjectiveHandwriting as the distinctive trace of a particular writer's hand, something by which the individual can be identified. Typical when recognizing whose writing a note is in, or when comparing samples of writing.
- 字じnounHandwriting or penmanship: how a person's writing looks, whether neat or clumsy. The word 字 basically means a written character, and it is the natural choice for commenting on the quality of someone's writing.君は字がうまいね。↗You write very neatly, don't you?
- 書写しょしゃnounHandwriting as a school subject: penmanship lessons in which pupils practice writing characters neatly. It names the subject rather than handwriting itself, so it is seldom the word for handwriting in general.
Use 「手書き」 for text written by hand rather than typed, 筆跡 for handwriting as an identifying trace of a writer, 字 for the neatness or quality of a person's writing, and 書写 for penmanship as a school subject.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
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