---
title: "Russian Cursive И и (I): How to Write It"
description: "How to write И и (I) in Russian cursive: stroke order, how it joins, how to tell it from ш, п, Latin u, and 4 example words with audio."
canonical: "https://dailycyrillic.com/learn/russian-cursive/i"
lang: "en"
published: "2026-10-25T11:07:25.000Z"
modified: "2026-10-31T11:50:40.000Z"
author: "Daily Cyrillic"
---

# Russian Cursive И и (I): How to Write It

By [Daily Cyrillic](/about) · Updated 31 Oct 2026

Cursive и is two pointed downstrokes joined at the bottom, exactly like a handwritten Latin u. It is the base unit of the hump letters ш, щ, ц and й. A clear "ee" as in "see", and it softens the consonant before it.

Reading time: about 2 min.

Sound

/i/, written i

Letter name

и

Often confused with

ш, п, Latin u

## Turn this guide into words you can use

Build a free Russian set for this topic, with examples and ElevenLabs AI audio.

Ии

И и · и · /i/

## Sound

A clear "ee" as in "see", and it softens the consonant before it.

## How to write cursive и, step by step

1.  Start at the baseline and go up to the x-height.
2.  Come down in a slanted stroke and round off at the baseline.
3.  Go up again to the x-height, parallel to the first stroke.
4.  Come straight down a second time and exit with a small hook to the right.

## The capital И

Capital И looks like a large handwritten U with a small hook at the top left: a stroke down, a curve up and a second straight stroke down.

## How it connects to other letters

и joins from the baseline on both sides, which is why several и in a row melt into a wave. Keep the downstrokes evenly spaced.

## Letters it is confused with

-   и / ш: ш has three downstrokes, и has two. In a word like лишишь, count the strokes to separate them.
    
-   и / п: п is rounded at the top like a Latin n; и is rounded at the bottom like a Latin u.
    
-   и / Latin u: The shape is a Latin u, but the sound is ee. Read the u-shape in a Russian word as и.
    

## Example words in cursive

Read the cursive word first, then check the print form and meaning.

Example words in cursive
| Cursive | Print | Transliteration | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| имя | имя | ímya | name |
| мир | мир | mir | world, peace |
| книга | книга | kníga | book |
| синий | синий | síniy | blue |

## Common mistakes

-   Writing the printed И with a diagonal bar, which looks like a backward N and does not connect.
-   Uneven spacing of the downstrokes, so и next to ш becomes one long unreadable wave.

## Turn this guide into words you can use

Build a free Russian set for this topic, with examples and ElevenLabs AI audio.

[Full Russian cursive chart](/learn/russian-cursive)

## Keep practising

-   [
    
    Full Russian cursive chart
    
    All 33 letters in print and cursive, how to read handwriting, and a printable worksheet.
    
    ](/learn/russian-cursive)
-   [
    
    The Russian Alphabet
    
    Every printed letter with its name, sound and audio.
    
    ](/learn/russian-alphabet)
-   [
    
    Russian Alphabet Trainer
    
    Quiz yourself on letters and sounds, free and without sign-up.
    
    ](/tools/russian-alphabet-trainer)

Source: https://dailycyrillic.com/learn/russian-cursive/i