How do you write a cursive percent sign?

Draw a small circle, then sweep a diagonal stroke down and to the left to a second matching circle. Keep both circles the same size, the diagonal at a consistent slope, and avoid letting the slash touch either circle.

What does percent literally mean?

'Percent' comes from the Latin 'per centum', meaning 'by the hundred'. The symbol itself evolved from the Italian abbreviation 'pc' (for 'per cento'), which was eventually written as a small circle, a slash, and another small circle.

Why is the percent sign used in sale signage?

Discounts are almost always expressed as a fraction of the original price, and percent is the universal way to communicate that fraction at a glance. '50% OFF' is faster to read and more compact than 'half-price', which is why it dominates retail signage.

Vol. IV · Est. 2024

Cursive GenerationThe Art of Beautiful Writing

Medium Difficulty

How to Write the Percent % in Cursive

The percent sign is the visual shorthand for 'per hundred' — two small circles separated by a diagonal slash. In cursive lettering it appears most often on sale signage and promotional posters where 'X% off' is the headline. The trick is keeping the two circles perfectly round at small sizes while letting the diagonal share the slope of the surrounding script.

The Percent (%) in 18 Cursive Fonts

See how the percent looks across every cursive font in our collection. Each font gives the symbol a unique personality — from formal calligraphic scripts to casual modern handwriting.

Tangerine

Dancing Script

Great Vibes

Parisienne

Sacramento

Kaushan Script

Alex Brush

Caveat

Mr De Haviland

Satisfy

Allura

Yellowtail

Arizonia

Bad Script

Berkshire Swash

Marck Script

Petit Formal Script

Pinyon Script

Want to see the percent inside a phrase?

Try our Cursive Generator to type any text containing the percent and preview it in all 18 fonts instantly.

How to Write the Percent (%) Step by Step

Draw a small circle (about a third of the cap height) above the baseline. From its lower right edge, sweep a diagonal stroke down and to the left to a second small circle sitting on the baseline. The diagonal should slope at roughly 60° from horizontal, matching the slant of italic numerals. Both circles should be the same size and the diagonal should pass between them without touching either.

Common Mistakes

✗ Drawing the two circles at different sizes, which makes the symbol feel lopsided
✗ Making the diagonal too steep (vertical) or too shallow (horizontal)
✗ Letting the diagonal touch or cut through one of the circles
✗ Sizing the percent sign too small relative to the digits, so it disappears in '50%'
✗ Filling the circles solid in scripts where the digits use open counters

Stylistic Variations of the Percent

Different ways to draw the percent

Open-circle percent — the default in most fonts, with hollow circles
Filled-dot percent — small solid dots replace the circles, common in brush lettering
Stacked percent — circle over slash over circle, used in some scientific notation
Per-mille (‰) and per-ten-thousand (‱) — extended siblings used in finance and statistics

Where the Percent (%) Is Used

Real-world contexts where this symbol earns its place in cursive lettering.

%Sale and discount signage ('40% OFF', '70% Off Final Sale')
%Statistics and infographic lettering
%Loan and savings illustrations on financial blogs
%Election-night graphics and polling charts
%Recipe annotations ('100% whole grain')

Practice Tips for the Cursive Percent

1Drill the two-circle motion at consistent size — many beginners draw the lower circle smaller.
2Lightly pencil the diagonal first to establish the slant before adding the circles.
3When pairing with digits, letter the digits first, then place the percent sign so its baseline aligns with theirs.
4Practise a 'stacked' version (numerator over denominator) for variety in poster lettering.

Ready to practise?

Generate a custom worksheet that includes the percent alongside letters and numbers using our Practice Sheet Generator, or try the symbol in real phrases with the Cursive Generator.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Cursive Percent

Frequently Asked Questions

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