Abstract: In a system for identifying hand-written characters, the read character is binary-coded with a high threshold value and a low threshold value, picture elements whose density levels are between the high and low threshold values are subjected to thinning, and the picture elements of the thinned character pattern having density levels lower than the high threshold level are redetermined as to black or white levels from the contrast of each picture element with respect to the surrounding picture elements, so that noise can be eliminated without cutting blurred portions of the character or collapsing portions of the character.