PURPOSE: To surely and easily recognize a character even when a similar character is present thereon by adding a means comparing with dictionary data only on a different part between the similar characters when the character similar to the recognized character is present thereon.

CONSTITUTION: It is discriminated from the dictionary at every character whether a similar character is present on a recognized character by comparison between the feature data of the character and a dictionary data or not. An individual matching means to decide the one of the similar characters as the recognized character by comparing the elemental data of a different part between the similar characters when the similar character is present thereon by the discrimination is provided. Accordingly, the presence of the similar character is decided on the character recognized by ordinary matching processing, only the different parts between the similar characters are compared when the similar character is present by referring to an individual dictionary and the one is defined as the recognized character from among the similar characters. Thus, the recognition of the character that the characteristic data are similar is sure and is facilitated.