Learning to write Chinese characters can seem challenging at first, but understanding the basics of Chinese stroke order makes the process much easier. Following the correct order not only improves the appearance of your writing but also helps with memorization and learning new characters.
In this guide, we’ll break down the essential rules and tips you need to know to write Chinese characters accurately.
8 basic strokes in Chinese characters
Chinese characters are fascinating and intricate, but their complexity becomes manageable once you break them down into fundamental components called strokes. These strokes form the foundation of every Chinese character. By learning the basic strokes, you can build a strong foundation for writing Chinese characters correctly.
Here are the 8 basic Chinese character strokes:
- Horizontal Stroke (横, héng): A straight horizontal line written from left to right. Example: 一 (yī).
- Vertical Stroke (竖, shù): A straight vertical line written from top to bottom. Example: 十 (shí).
- Dot Stroke (点, diǎn): A small downward dot or tick. Example: 小 (xiǎo).
- Left-falling Stroke (撇, piě): A slanted line from the top right to the bottom left. Example: 人 (rén).
- Right-falling Stroke (捺, nà): A slanted line from the top left to the bottom right. Example: 八 (bā).
- Rising Stroke (提, tí): A short upward flick written from left to right. Example: 我 (wǒ).
- Hook Stroke (钩, gōu): A stroke with a small hook at the end, which can be attached to horizontal, vertical, or downward strokes. Example: 小 (xiǎo).
- Bend Stroke (折, zhé): A stroke that changes direction sharply, such as from horizontal to vertical. Example: 口 (kǒu).
The 7 rules of Chinese stroke order
When learning to write Chinese characters, one of the first things you’ll need to understand is stroke order — the sequence in which the strokes of a character are written. To get started, here are the 7 essential rules of Chinese stroke order every beginner should know.
1. Horizontal Before Vertical
When a character contains both horizontal and vertical strokes, always start by writing the horizontal strokes first, followed by the vertical ones. This rule applies in most cases, such as in the character 十 (shí), where the horizontal stroke comes before the vertical stroke.
2. Top to Bottom
One of the most basic rules of Chinese stroke order is that strokes are generally written from top to bottom. This means you begin writing from the uppermost part of a character and move down. For example, the character 立 (lì) starts with the top strokes before you move down to the bottom part of the character.
3. First left-falling then right-falling
This rule states that when both of these strokes appear in the same character, the left-falling stroke should be written before the right-falling stroke. The left-falling stroke is typically a longer or more prominent stroke, so writing it first provides a solid base upon which to add the right-falling stroke.
4. Left to Right
After following the “top to bottom” rule, the next most important guideline is to write from left to right. When a character has strokes that extend to the right side, always start from the leftmost strokes. For instance, in the character 你 (nǐ), you write the left vertical stroke before moving to the right one.
5. Outside to Inside
The “Outside to Inside” rule is one of the key principles in Chinese stroke order, particularly when writing characters that have an enclosure or a frame. This rule states that when writing a character with an outer boundary or radical that encloses inner components, you should write the outer strokes first before moving on to the inner strokes.
For example, the character 问 (wèn) is written by first drawing the outer box and then the inner strokes.
6. Center Before Sides
Writing the central strokes first helps maintain balance and symmetry in the character. It ensures that the character’s structure remains aligned as you work outwards from the center. This rule is especially useful for characters that feature elements like vertical or central lines, helping to avoid distortions in shape as you add the side strokes.
For example, in the character 水 (shuǐ), the central strokes (the two vertical ones) are written first and the side strokes are added afterward.
7. Close frames last
When a character has an enclosing structure, such as a box or frame, the closing strokes of the frame are generally written last. For example, in the character 回 (huí), the enclosing strokes are written last, after completing the inner strokes. This ensures that the frame is neatly closed and balanced.
Tips to write better Chinese characters
Whether you’re a beginner or have been studying Chinese for a while, the following tips will help you improve your writing skills and write more accurately:
1. Master Basic Strokes
The foundation of Chinese writing lies in the basic strokes. Start by practicing the 8 basic strokes, which are the building blocks of all characters. A strong understanding of these building blocks will make writing more complex characters easier.
2. Understand Stroke Order
Proper stroke order ensures that characters are written clearly and recognizably. This is particularly important when handwriting, as it helps maintain the correct shape and structure of the character. Following the standard stroke order promotes consistency in writing, making your characters easier to read and understand for others.
3. Practice Writing with Consistency
Practice is essential when it comes to writing Chinese characters well. Set aside time each day to practice. Start by copying characters from a textbook or a model sheet, and then gradually work towards writing characters from memory. The more you practice, the more fluid and natural your writing will become.
4. Break Down Complex Characters
When you encounter a complex character, break it down into smaller components. Understand the structure of the character and how the components relate to each other. This will make it easier to memorize and write it correctly. Often, understanding the radicals (the building blocks) can help simplify the writing process.
5. Use Lined Paper or Grid Paper
Lined or grid paper can be a useful tool to keep your characters aligned and proportional. The lines will guide your strokes to maintain consistent height, width, and spacing between characters. Some learners find that grid paper, with its even boxes, is especially helpful for learning to balance strokes.
Conclusion
Understanding the basics of Chinese stroke order is essential for anyone starting to learn Chinese characters. Mastering stroke order not only improves the clarity of your writing but also helps reinforce your memory of characters as you progress. With the rules introduced by Ni Hao Ma, you’ll build a solid foundation for writing beautiful and accurate Chinese characters.
To learn more about writing Chinese characters and Chinese culture, check out the HSK Chinese courses and online Chinese classes from Ni Hao Ma!
