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I was studying this [kanji](https://jisho.org/search/%E9%81%93%20%23kanji) and
looked at the strokes order to figure out how to write it, only to realize the
difference between the pc font one and the diagram. Why is the 3 look-alike
only on hand drawn?
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kanji history handwriting
Why is there a difference between the hand drawn 道 and the pc font one?
English/Latin letters have similar differences between hand-written and
printed forms. _(Think about how most people would write the letter 'a' or the
number '4')_ Historically, many of the differences between type forms and
hand-written forms come from the technology used for printing.

Obviously, hand-writing pre-dates printing, so the hand-written form came
first (the 3-like part of 道). When characters were adapted to metal movable
type the form was often modified to make the type easier to make, easier to
read, last longer or print better. This is the case for the font shown on the
website you referenced.

More information on the radical in question, "之繞{しんにょう}":

<https://kakijun.jp/main/shin-nyu.html>

This link supports what droooze mentions above, namely that the 3-like shape
comes from merging the second and third strokes of an older form, which has 2
dots rather than 1. However, it also states that the 2-dot + curl form is
"general", though not "correct".
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I'm assuming that this is a question on the different shapes of
the「⻍・⻌」component of「道」.

> For reference, the glyph origin of「⻍・⻌」is shown below via the
> character「過」.「⻍・⻌」is a merger between「彳」and「止」;「止」eventually became
> drastically simplified, but「彳」still retains most of its structure in the
> print form, while slightly simplified in the handwritten form.
>
> # `[西周](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Zhou)  
> [金](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_bronze_inscriptions)  
> [![enter image description
> here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/bd4uf.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/bd4uf.png)  
> 過伯簋  
>
> [集成3907](http://www.guoxuedashi.com/yzjwjc/?bh=3907&jgwfl=)``[楚](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chu_\(state\))  
> [簡](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bamboo_and_wooden_slips)  
> [![enter image description
> here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/erLq2.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/erLq2.png)  
> [郭・語3](http://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian/Reference/ChuwenziReference)  
>  ``[秦](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qin_dynasty)  
> 簡  
> [![enter image description
> here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/8SWAr.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/8SWAr.png)  
> [睡・效](http://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian/Reference/QinwenziReference)9  
>  ``[東{{kr:漢}}](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Han_dynasty#Eastern_Han)  
> [隸](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clerical_script)  
> [![enter image description
> here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/QhbPz.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/QhbPz.png)  
> 華山廟碑  
>  ``今  
> [楷](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regular_script)  
> [![enter image description
> here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/F0L6f.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/F0L6f.png)  
>  
>  ``[清](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qing_dynasty)  
> [明朝體](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ming_\(typefaces\))  
> [![enter image description
> here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/EVhEV.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/EVhEV.png)  
> [康熙字典](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kangxi_Dictionary)  
>  `

There are two print shapes that you will see in Japanese fonts:

[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/IA3zL.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/IA3zL.png)

The left hand shape applies to _most_ * of the printed forms of the [_Jōyō
kanji_](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%C5%8Dy%C5%8D_kanji), of which「道」is a
member. The right hand side is the orthodox print shape, and applies to all
other _kanji_.

Regardless of whether the character is a _Jōyō kanji_ or not, the handwritten
shape (should) always look like this:

[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/GKkoJ.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/GKkoJ.png)

This is equivalent to taking the right hand print shape and merging the second
and third strokes:

[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/sVcSI.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/sVcSI.png)

> The reason why Japanese decided to apply the left hand print shape, and only
> to the _Jōyō kanji_ , is rather convoluted, and not relevant to how you
> should learn handwriting. Just remember the handwriting shape, and make use
> of [handwriting previews](https://www.fonts.com/font/ricoh/hg-seikaishotai-
> pro).

* * *

*The left hand print shape is no longer applicable for new _kanji_ coming into the _Jōyō kanji_ list. See the _jisho.org_ entries for[「謎」](https://jisho.org/search/%E8%AC%8E%20%23kanji),[「遡」](https://jisho.org/search/%E9%81%A1%20%23kanji), and[「遜」](https://jisho.org/search/%E9%81%9C%20%23kanji), which are new (2010) _Jōyō kanji_ and use the right hand (orthodox) print shape, **but do not follow their stroke order diagrams, which are incorrect and caused by a severe misunderstanding about the structure of the left hand side of「⻍・⻌」.**

> [![enter image description
> here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/ZJq3T.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/ZJq3T.png)
>
> **This is incorrect; never write with both two dots and a curl.** Either
> imitate the orthodox print shape (two dots and a straight vertical finish)
> or the handwriting shape (one dot and a curl).

As always, follow a handwriting font:

[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/bS5mI.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/bS5mI.png)
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The other answers were really great and taught me a lot. But in the context of
names, I just found out that the Ministry of Justice specifically
differentiations between 道 using one or the other of「⻌・⻍」/[one dot・two dots].
This means it's possible regular people specifically care about their name
having one dot or having two dots (especially if ["Some people take pride in
having 旧字体/異体字 family names and keep on using them whenever
possible"](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/a/30509/36471)). Here are both
variants of 道, shown with their unique character codes, from the Ministry's
official web database [戸籍統一文字情報のページ (Family Register Unified Character
Page)](http://kosekimoji.moj.go.jp/kosekimojidb/mjko/PeopleTop):

[![Variants of 道 used in names in
戸籍統一文字情報のページ](https://i.stack.imgur.com/Frjqf.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/Frjqf.png)

As I explain further, note that I used Google Translate a lot, so please
correct me if I've misunderstood anything and take everything I say with a
grain of salt! Also, I found an abundance of information on 辻 rather than 道,
so I will consider that particular character instead. Just like 道, one-dot and
two-dot versions of 辻 are defined separately in the Ministry's name kanji
database.

The character 辻 is special because [辻 has two dots in the latest JIS X
0213:2004, but had one dot prior to
2004](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JIS_X_0213#/media/File:JIS_X_0213_2000-2004.gif).
Also it is Jinmeiyō kanji and isn't Jōyō kanji. These two qualities may extend
to other characters as well, though I haven’t checked.

This [Yahoo Japan
post](https://detail.chiebukuro.yahoo.co.jp/qa/question_detail/q13179536808)
is what originally alerted me to the possibility of this type of issue, and it
first led me to the official Japanese Ministry of Justice page on [子の名に使える漢字
(Kanji for use in children’s names)](http://www.moj.go.jp/MINJI/minji86.html).
This page includes a link to the official 人名用漢字表 (Jinmeiyō Kanji) and also the
戸籍統一文字情報のページ (Family Register Unified Character Page), which I used to find
the two versions of 道 above.

In the [人名用漢字表 (Jinmeiyō Kanji)
PDF](http://www.moj.go.jp/content/001131003.pdf), 辻 is present with two dots
on page 2, lower set, row 2, column 4 of the PDF. This means children named
with 辻 must use the character with two dots, matching the latest JIS X
0213:2004 version.

But in the [Family Register character
page](http://kosekimoji.moj.go.jp/kosekimojidb/mjko/PeopleTop), searching for
`つじ` in the `読み` field returns separate one-dot and two-dot versions of 辻
defined for names.

My assumption is people named with 辻 before 2004 got one dot per the old JIS X
standard, and people named since 2004 have gotten 辻 with two dots. An old copy
of the Jinmeiyō kanji list could validate this theory, but regardless, the
main point is that some people’s names may specifically have only one dot, or
specifically have two dots. And since people can keep using non-Jinmeiyō kanji
[for a number of
reasons](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/43352/is-it-permitted-
to-use-kanji-beyond-the-jinmeiy%C5%8D-kanji-for-names), then this issue may
never go away. I found all this fascinating, and hopefully it's useful if I
ever happen to meet someone with such a name!

## Supplemental external references, in no particular order

  * [第2章明朝体と筆写の楷書との関係について（具体例）（案）(MEXT Examples Comparing Variations in Mincho and Handwriting (Draft))](http://www.bunka.go.jp/seisaku/bunkashingikai/kokugo/shoiinkai/iinkai_19/pdf/shiryo_6.pdf), in particular the footnote on p37-38 mentions the name variants for 辻 with one and two dots, and the handwriting variants between two dots with curl versus two dots with straight vertical finish. The document appears to be a work in progress, see this [version from the prior year](http://www.bunka.go.jp/seisaku/bunkashingikai/kokugo/shoiinkai/iinkai_18/pdf/shiryo_5.pdf). Thanks to @archaephyrryx for finding this
  * [Comparing handwritten and Mincho versions of 之繞{しんにょう}](https://kakijun.jp/main/shin-nyu.html) 「⻌・⻍・⻎」 on Kakijun.jp, thanks to @sazarando for sharing this in his answer to this question
  * [Adobe Typekit Blog: Japan revised its Jōyō Kanji set](https://blog.typekit.com/2010/12/05/joyo-kanji-revision/), comparing the new 2010 Jōyō kanji with two dots ⻍ to the existing simplified ones with one dot ⻌
  * [JIS X 0213](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JIS_X_0213) on Wikipedia
  * [JIS X 0213:2014 changes](https://kakijun.jp/main/jis2004.html) on Kakijun.jp 
  * [常用漢字表 (Jōyō Kanji)](https://www.bunka.go.jp/kokugo_nihongo/sisaku/joho/joho/kijun/naikaku/pdf/joyokanjihyo_20101130.pdf), especially pages 4-10.
  * [人名用漢字表 (Jinmeiyō Kanji)](http://www.moj.go.jp/content/001131003.pdf)

## Related questions concerning font and handwriting variations, most recent
first

  * [Why is there a difference between the hand drawn 道 and the pc font one?](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/65350/why-is-there-a-difference-between-the-hand-drawn-%e9%81%93-and-the-pc-font-one) 2019-02-06, including this one for completeness...
  * [Differents ways to write 箸 [duplicate]](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/50186/differents-ways-to-write-%e7%ae%b8) 2017-07-08, included since it has answers with additional different information, despite being a duplicate
  * [Variations in the “same” kanji, how do you know which one to use?](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/42953/variations-in-the-same-kanji-how-do-you-know-which-one-to-use) 2017-01-28
  * [噌 variants in different fonts](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/41983/%e5%99%8c-variants-in-different-fonts) 2016-12-26 
  * [Meaning of font variation in the case of the character 賭](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/14814/meaning-of-font-variation-in-the-case-of-the-character-%e8%b3%ad) 2014-03-09
  * [Why are there two versions of the kanji for 冷?](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/3191/why-are-there-two-versions-of-the-kanji-for-%e5%86%b7) 2011-09-20
  * [Distinguishing certain characters in handwriting and print (Similar-looking Kana and Kanji)](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/2990/distinguishing-certain-characters-in-handwriting-and-print-similar-looking-kana) 2011-09-03

## Related questions concerning Jinmeiyō kanji, most recent first

  * [Is it permitted to use kanji beyond the jinmeiyō kanji for names?](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/43352/is-it-permitted-to-use-kanji-beyond-the-jinmeiy%c5%8d-kanji-for-names) 2017-02-09
  * [What are the most obscure kanji?](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/35856/what-are-the-most-obscure-kanji) 2016-06-11
  * [Use of 旧字体 in Japanese names](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/30507/use-of-%e6%97%a7%e5%ad%97%e4%bd%93-in-japanese-names) 2016-01-18
  * [Why is the Japanese government considering adding kanji such as “cancer” to the jinmeiyō kanji?](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/6134/why-is-the-japanese-government-considering-adding-kanji-such-as-cancer-to-the) 2012-07-14
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