Source Han Sans
Noto Sans CJK
Type specimen
The specimen uses the official Google Fonts subset when available, otherwise a font installed on this device. If neither exists the browser falls back to a system font, so treat the official download page as authoritative.
About this font
Source Han Sans is the pan-CJK open-source sans-serif family built jointly by Adobe and Google, and it remains the most widely adopted free Chinese typeface in professional design. Led by type designer Ryoko Nishizuka and first released in 2014, it offers seven weights from ExtraLight to Heavy, regional variants for Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Japanese and Korean, and a variable-font version. Its neutral, low-contrast shapes stay legible at small screen sizes, and the Latin companion, derived from Source Sans, is optically matched to the CJK glyphs so mixed text needs no size compensation. Everything - sources, character coverage, release history - lives openly on GitHub, which is exactly why enterprises trust it as their default safe font.
Where it works best
Use it almost anywhere: app and system UI, WeChat long-form graphics, e-commerce pages, slide decks, book and magazine text, video subtitles. Practical picks: Regular or Medium for body text, Bold or Heavy for headings; for the web, the official Noto Sans SC subset on Google Fonts gives you a CDN-served, commercial-safe version without cutting your own subsetting pipeline. Just choose the correct regional variant (SC/TC/JP/KR) so glyphs match your audience's conventions.
| Weights | 7 |
|---|---|
| First release | 2014 |
| Designed by | Ryoko Nishizuka et al. |
| Rights holder | Adobe, released jointly with Google |
| Scripts | Chinese |
| Licence | OFL SIL Open Font License 1.1 |
| Variable font | Supported |
Licence and commercial boundaries
Licence：SIL Open Font License 1.1
The dominant permissive licence for open fonts: free commercial use, modification, embedding and redistribution. Its core duties are that derivatives stay under OFL without the Reserved Font Name, the licence text travels with the files, and the fonts themselves are never sold standalone. Works typeset with them belong wholly to you.
Released under SIL Open Font License 1.1 - the most mature and permissive font licence in open source. Free for individuals and companies for any commercial purpose: advertising, packaging, trademarks, publications, software embedding, web use. No fee, no attribution, no notification required. The single core obligation: modified or derivative font files must remain under OFL with the reserved names 'Source' and 'Noto' removed, and the font files themselves cannot be sold standalone. Works typeset with the font are entirely yours.
Hard restrictions
- The font files may not be sold on their own; bundling with software or documents is fine.
- Derivatives must stay under OFL 1.1 and drop the reserved names Source Han / Noto.
- Modified distributions must not impersonate the original family names.
Commercial-use FAQ
Are Source Han Sans and Noto Sans SC the same font?
Same project, two release names. Adobe publishes it as Source Han Sans, Google as Noto Sans CJK / Noto Sans SC - identical glyphs and licence. Use Noto Sans SC on Google Fonts for web embedding and the GitHub releases for desktop design.
Official channels
- Go to official download → https://github.com/adobe-fonts/source-han-sans/releases
- Official alternative download → https://fonts.google.com/specimen/Noto+Sans+SC
- Read the original licence → https://github.com/adobe-fonts/source-han-sans/blob/master/LICENSE.txt
Last verified：2026-09-07
This site is an index of publicly available information. It does not host, mirror or distribute any font file and does not warrant any licence. Rights holders may change terms, split free and paid editions, or withdraw a permission at any time. Before commercial use, verify the licence on the official page and keep a dated screenshot as evidence. For trademarks, overseas publication and large-scale embedding, consult an IP professional.