See the lexicon

General Script Characteristics

Shape

rectangular

Internal Structure

linear

Line of Writing

horizontal

broken

Groups of Characters Baseline

partial stacking of characters

oblique

one group of characters underpins the next

Character Spacing

regular spaces between characters

regular spaces between words

Presence of Elongation

frequent

Shading / Contrast

medium contrast

Letter Morphology

Point

round dot

Ascenders

Alif Ascenders

alif - vertical

alif - top right serif

alif - foot with left hook

Lām Ascenders

lām - vertical

lām - top right serif

Kāf Ascenders

rounded body, long top flat arm

Descenders

wāw descenders

wāw - rounded tail

wāw - crescent tail

rā' zā' descenders

rā'/zā' - s-shaped

hooked tail

mīm descenders

mīm - s-shape

mīm - long oblique tapered tail, hairline ending

nūn sīn shīn sādḍād yā’ lām and qāf descenders

shallow bowl

nūn, sīn/shīn, sād/ḍād, yā', lām, qāf - elongated curvilinear flattened bowl

jīm ḥāʾ khā' and ‘ain ghayn descenders

semicircular backward tail

yā’ al-rāji’ah descenders

backward horizontal stroke

final downward spur

denticles

sīn shīn denticles

short pointed denticles

rounded base denticles

initial and medial bāʾ tāʾthāʾ nūn yāʾ denticles

initial inclined to left

medial short pointed denticles

counters

hā' counters

initial / medial double eyed (wajh al-hirr)

final s-shaped (muḥdawdibah)

fā' qāf wāw counters

rounded pointed head

medial 'ain ghayn counters

wide inverted triangle

mīm counters

rounded head

vocalization and diacritics

fatḥa kasra vocalization and diacritics

oblique stroke (10°-35°)

ḍamma vocalization and diacritics

comma

sukūn vocalization and diacritics

circle

Other

additional characteristics

Medial sin sunken below the baseline