Russian Cursive Б б (Be): How to Write It
By Daily Cyrillic · Updated
Cursive б looks like the numeral 6 or a Greek delta: a round bowl with a stem that rises above the x-height and curls to the right. It is one of the few lowercase letters with an ascender. A "b" as in "boy"; at the end of a word it is devoiced to "p".
Reading time: about 2 min.
- Sound
- /b/, written b
- Letter name
- бэ
- Often confused with
- в, д
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Sound
A "b" as in "boy"; at the end of a word it is devoiced to "p".
How to write cursive б, step by step
- Start at the top right of the x-height and draw a small round bowl counterclockwise.
- Close the bowl and keep going up the right side, past the x-height toward the top line.
- At the top, curve the stroke to the right in a short flick, like a flag.
- Exit from the bowl at the bottom right if another letter follows.
The capital Б
Capital Б has a tall left stem with a wavy bar across the top and a bowl at the bottom right, so it reads like a script B whose upper loop has been flattened into a flag.
How it connects to other letters
Because the stem ends high, Russians often lift the pen after б or connect from the bottom of the bowl. Do not drag the top flag down into the next letter.
Letters it is confused with
б / в: в also rises above the x-height, but it starts with a tall loop on the left and ends in a small bowl; б has its bowl first and its flag at the top.
б / д: The ∂ form of д also has a bowl and a curling stem; in д the stem leans back to the left, in б it flicks forward to the right.
Example words in cursive
Read the cursive word first, then check the print form and meaning.
| Cursive | Transliteration | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| брат | брат | brat | brother |
| хлеб | хлеб | khleb | bread |
| бабушка | бабушка | bábushka | grandmother |
| банк | банк | bank | bank |
Common mistakes
- Writing the stem at x-height only, which turns б into а or о.
- Curling the top to the left so the letter reads as a mirrored 6.
Turn this guide into words you can use
Build a free Russian set for this topic, with examples and ElevenLabs AI audio.