Russian Cursive З з (Ze): How to Write It
By Daily Cyrillic · Updated
Cursive з looks like the numeral 3 with its lower half dropping below the baseline into a loop. The descender is what separates it from э and е. A voiced "z" as in "zoo"; at the end of a word it sounds like "s".
Reading time: about 2 min.
- Sound
- /z/, written z
- Letter name
- зэ
- Often confused with
- э, Latin z
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Sound
A voiced "z" as in "zoo"; at the end of a word it sounds like "s".
How to write cursive з, step by step
- Start near the top of the x-height with a small arc open to the left.
- Bring the arc back to the middle, forming the upper half of a 3.
- Swing the lower half out to the right and down below the baseline.
- Loop back to the left and up, crossing at the baseline, then exit to the right.
The capital З
Capital З is a large 3 whose lower bowl hangs below the baseline in a loop, the same motion as the lowercase but taller.
How it connects to other letters
The lower loop brings the pen back to the baseline, so з connects forward smoothly. Coming in, the connector reaches the top left start of the arc.
Letters it is confused with
з / э: э sits on the baseline and has a small middle tick; з has no tick and plunges below the line.
з / Latin z: A handwritten English z with a tail looks very similar. In Russian it is з, which happens to sound like z as well.
Example words in cursive
Read the cursive word first, then check the print form and meaning.
| Cursive | Transliteration | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| зима | зима | zimá | winter |
| звезда | звезда | zvezdá | star |
| глаз | глаз | glaz | eye |
| роза | роза | róza | rose |
Common mistakes
- Stopping the lower half on the baseline, which turns з into a 3 that readers may take for э.
- Drawing a sharp zigzag like a printed z instead of two rounded arcs.
Turn this guide into words you can use
Build a free Russian set for this topic, with examples and ElevenLabs AI audio.