Addresses around the world
Writing Addresses in Non-Latin Scripts
How to write an address in Arabic, Cyrillic, Chinese, Devanagari and other scripts, and when to add a Latin version for international mail.
Updated 14 October 2026 · 2 min read
Many of the world's addresses are written in scripts other than Latin: Arabic, Cyrillic, Chinese characters, Devanagari, Thai and others. Writing them correctly is less about the alphabet and more about consistency and context.
Principle one: write the destination's script for local mail
For delivery inside a country, local staff and sorting systems read the local script best. If you know the address in that script, use it, copied exactly.
Principle two: add a Latin version for international mail
Items travelling abroad pass through staff and machines who may not read the local script. A Latin-letter version on a separate line, or on the customs paperwork, helps them route the item. Keep the country name in Latin letters, in capitals, on the last line.
Right-to-left scripts
Some scripts are written from right to left. When an address mixes a right-to-left name with Latin numbers, the display can look reordered. This is a rendering behaviour, not a change in meaning. Check the final label to make sure digits, such as the building number and postal code, have not been shuffled.
Characters without a space
Some scripts do not separate words with spaces. Do not add spaces within a place name; write it as it appears in the source.
Tips for senders
- Ask the recipient to send the address as text, not as an image.
- Copy and paste it; do not retype.
- Check that your system supports the characters, such as in forms, labels and printers.
- Keep the native script in one field and the Latin version in another.
- Do not mix scripts on one line, see mixed scripts in addresses.
Tips for businesses
Use Unicode throughout your systems, from database to label printer, and test with real examples. Store both versions of the address if you can. This ties in with address data quality for businesses.
Summary
Use the local script for local delivery, add a Latin version for international mail and keep scripts on separate lines. See also transliteration in addresses.
Frequently asked questions
Should I write an address in the local script or in Latin letters?
For local delivery, use the local script. For international mail, the destination country's requirements and the carrier's rules decide; adding a Latin version is often helpful.
Does the writing direction change the order of address lines?
The direction of writing within a line can differ, such as right-to-left, but the order of the lines still follows the destination's address convention.