PURPOSE: To improve the accuracy of recognition for a character, by deciding whether a relevant character pattern is equal to a minute character or not with addition of the width of the character line of a normalized pattern in which the size of characters is normalized, and executing the character recognition.

CONSTITUTION: A black dot counter circuit 4 counts the number of pattern elements having levels higher than a prescribed value among the pattern elements of a sampling pattern (c) which is supplied from a sampling pattern circuit 3. This count value (d) is supplied to a deciding circuit 5. The circuit 5 discriminates whether a normalized patter (b) is equal to the standard character or minute character from the value (d) and the information showing the size of the character which is supplied from a size detecting circuit 1. The result of discrimination is supplied to normalizing circuit 2 and a character recognizing part 6. The information showing that the pattern (b) is equal to the standard character is supplied to the part 6 from the circuit 5. Then the character is recognized by the pattern (c) being supplied.