4. A handwritten character recognition device according to claim 1, wherein said degree-of-match calculating means calculates an X-axis correlation coefficient having highest correlation value for each of the symbols forming the X-axis direction symbol string, and calculates a Y-axis correlation coefficient having highest correlation value for each of the symbols forming the Y-axis direction symbol string.
5. A handwritten character recognition device according to claim 4, wherein said degree-of-match calculating means produces X-axis degree-of-match by taking an average of the X-axis correlation coefficients for each of the symbols forming the X-axis direction symbol string, and produces Y-axis degree-of-match by taking an average of the Y-axis correlation coefficients for each of the symbols forming the Y-axis direction symbol string.