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

# Russian Cursive Х х (Kha): How to Write It

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

Cursive х looks like a handwritten Latin x made of two rounded halves, a backward c and a forward c, touching back to back. It sits between the baseline and the midline. A breathy kh as in Scottish "loch", made at the back of the mouth.

Reading time: about 1 min.

Sound

/x/, written kh

Letter name

ха

Often confused with

Latin x, ж

## Turn this guide into words you can use

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

Хх

Х х · ха · /x/

## Sound

A breathy kh as in Scottish "loch", made at the back of the mouth.

## How to write cursive х, step by step

1.  Start at the midline and draw a backward c curve down to the baseline.
2.  Lift the pen and move to the top right.
3.  Draw a forward c curve whose back touches the first curve in the middle.
4.  Exit from the bottom of the second curve to the next letter.

## The capital Х

Capital Х is the same two-curve shape enlarged, sometimes written as two crossing strokes like print X.

## How it connects to other letters

The pen lift happens inside the letter, between the two curves; the exit from the right half connects normally.

## Letters it is confused with

-   х / Latin x: Same shape as x, but the sound is kh, never ks: хлеб is "khleb".
    
-   х / ж: ж also has curves on both sides, but it has a straight stem in the middle; х has no stem.
    

## Example words in cursive

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

Example words in cursive
| Cursive | Print | Transliteration | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| халат | халат | khalát | bathrobe |
| хорошо | хорошо | khoroshó | good, well |
| муха | муха | múkha | fly (insect) |
| смех | смех | smekh | laughter |

## Common mistakes

-   Pronouncing it as English h or as ks.
-   Letting the two curves drift apart so they read as э and с.

## 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/kha