Chinese Stroke Order: The Rules, With Examples

Hanzi Grove · 2026-11-09

Chinese stroke order follows a small set of rules: write from top to bottom and from left to right, horizontal strokes before vertical ones, left-falling before right-falling, outside before inside, close a frame last, and write the middle before the sides. These rules cover almost every character you will meet, so once you know them you can write a new character correctly without looking up its stroke order.

This guide explains each rule with examples, covers the common exceptions, and shows how to practise. For animated examples of every rule, see the stroke-order rules page.

Why stroke order matters

Stroke order can look like a rule for its own sake. It is not. There are four practical reasons to learn it.

• Your characters look right. The rules were shaped by centuries of handwriting. Following them gives balanced, well-spaced characters.
• You write faster. Each stroke ends close to where the next one begins, so your hand moves less.
• You remember characters better. A fixed order turns each character into a short, repeatable sequence, which is easier to recall than a picture.
• Handwriting input works. Phone and computer handwriting tools, and handwritten text in general, are easier to read when strokes are written in the expected order.

For HSK learners there is one more reason. In the HSK exam syllabus released in November 2025, handwriting starts at HSK 2. You need to write 100 characters by hand by HSK 2, 250 by HSK 3 and 400 by HSK 4.

Know the strokes first

Every character is made of a small number of stroke types. The main ones are:

On top of these come turning and hooked strokes, such as the turn in 口 or the hook at the bottom of 小. The strokes page shows all 6 basic strokes and 18 turns and hooks, with the direction of each one.

The core stroke-order rules

1. Horizontal before vertical (先横后竖)

When a horizontal and a vertical stroke cross, write the horizontal first.

• 十 (shí, ten): 一 first, then 丨.
• The same applies inside larger characters, such as the crossing strokes in 木 (mù, tree).

2. Left-falling before right-falling (先撇后捺)

When a left-falling stroke and a right-falling stroke meet or form a pair, write the left-falling one first.

• 人 (rén, person): 丿 first, then ㇏.
• 八 (bā, eight): left stroke first, then right.

3. Top to bottom (从上到下)

Write the upper strokes or parts before the lower ones.

• 三 (sān, three): top line, middle line, bottom line.
• In top–bottom characters, write the top part first. For example, 学 (xué) begins with the three short strokes at the top. See more on the top–bottom pattern page.

4. Left to right (从左到右)

Write the left strokes or parts before the right ones.

• 川 (chuān, river): left stroke, middle stroke, right stroke.
• 明 (míng, bright): write 日 on the left first, then 月 on the right. See the 明 character page.
• The same applies to every left–right character, such as 好 (女 then 子) and 林 (木 then 木).

5. Outside before inside (从外到内)

When strokes form a frame around other strokes, write the frame before the inside.

• 月 (yuè, moon): the left stroke and the top-right frame come first, then the two short horizontals inside.
• 同 (tóng, same): the frame first, then the parts inside.

6. Inside before closing (先里头后封口)

When a frame is closed on all four sides, write the left side, the top and right side, then the inside, and close the bottom last.

• 日 (rì, sun): left vertical, top-right turn, middle horizontal, then the bottom horizontal.
• 国 (guó, country): left vertical, top-right turn, the 玉 inside, then the bottom line to close the box.
• 回 (huí, to return): the outer box is closed only after the inner box is written.

7. Middle before sides (先中间后两边)

When a character has a clear centre with matching strokes on each side, write the middle first.

• 小 (xiǎo, small): the middle hooked vertical first, then the left dot, then the right stroke.
• 水 (shuǐ, water): the middle hooked vertical first, then the left side, then the right side.

These are the same seven rules shown with animations on the stroke-order rules page.

Common exceptions

The rules are guides, not laws. A few patterns show up often enough to learn on their own.

• A vertical through the middle comes last. In 中 (zhōng, middle), write the 口 shape first and the long vertical through it last. The same is true of the long vertical in 半 (bàn, half).
• Top-right dots often come last. In 我 (wǒ, I), the dot at the upper right is the final stroke.
• The bottom-left enclosure 辶 comes last. In characters like 这 (zhè, this) and 道 (dào, road), write the inside part first and the 辶 last.

When you are not sure, check the character on Hanzi Grove. Each character page shows its strokes in order. Try 我 or 你.

How to practise stroke order

Short, regular practice works better than long sessions.

1. Learn the strokes once. Spend one session on the strokes page so you know the name and direction of each stroke.
2. Learn the rules with simple characters. Write 十, 人, 三, 川, 日, 小 and 中 a few times each. Together they cover every rule above.
3. Say the strokes as you write. Naming each stroke (héng, shù, piě, nà) keeps your attention on the order, not just the shape.
4. Write from memory. Look, cover, write, check. Copying while looking teaches much less.
5. Use squared paper. A grid helps you keep each character the same size and balance its parts.
6. Practise parts, not just characters. Common parts such as 亻, 氵 and 口 appear in many characters. Write them well once and every character that uses them improves.

Two or three characters a day is enough to build the habit. At that pace, you will reach the HSK 2 target of 100 handwritten characters in a couple of months.

Frequently asked questions

Is stroke order really important?

Yes, especially if you plan to write by hand. Correct order gives better-looking characters, faster writing and easier recall. It also matters for the HSK, where handwriting starts at HSK 2.

Is stroke order the same in Simplified and Traditional Chinese?

The rules are the same. A few individual characters have slightly different standard orders in different regions, but the core rules in this guide apply to both.

What is the most common stroke-order mistake?

Writing vertical strokes before horizontal ones where they cross, and closing a box before writing what is inside it. Rules 1 and 6 fix both.

How do I check the stroke order of a character?

Open the character on Hanzi Grove. The HSK lists link to every character, and each character page shows its strokes in order. New learners can start with the beginner path.