1. Comparison of Hardness & Blackness

HB (Balanced Grade)

Composed of half graphite and half clay with moderate hardness. It delivers medium gray lines with crisp strokes and is not prone to smudging.

2B (Softer & Darker)

Higher graphite content creates softer leads that produce deep black marks. Light strokes yield rich dark tones, yet the pigment sheds powder easily and smudges readily.

4B (Much Softer & Darker)

Graphite content far exceeds that of 2B, resulting in loose, soft lead cores. It lays down dense, heavy black pigment; light pressure covers large areas quickly, and it generates the most graphite dust.

2. Writing Smoothness & Lead Break Resistance

HB: Dense, rigid lead resists breakage even under heavy pressure, maintaining a sharp point for a long time.

2B: Relatively soft; the tip chips easily if excessive force is applied.

4B: The softest grade; leads snap effortlessly if exposed too far when sharpening, requiring gentle sharpening techniques.

3. Applicable Scenarios

HB: Top choice for daily writing

Ideal for class homework, note-taking, calligraphy practice and sketch drafts. It creates clean handwriting without smudging paper, suitable for extended writing sessions.

2B: Standard for examinations

Specially used for filling answer sheets in high school entrance exams, college entrance exams and CET-4/6. Its black density is optimized for machine scanning, delivering dark marks without smearing the sheet like 4B pencils.

4B: Exclusive for art sketching

Perfect for quick sketches, laying base tones and deepening shadows. It excels at large-area black shading, drawing hair and dark shadows, and is unsuitable for handwriting or exam answer sheet filling.