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100 Useful Kanji

Kanji Stroke Order

Basic rules for the stroke order of kanji.

Clay: Kanji
stroke order is very important: 
You: Why?
Clay: Because, well, it just is!

BETTER REASONS: 1) By
following the set order, kanji will look more like it should and therefore be easier
to read & 2) you can remember new
kanji better by knowing the order to write them & 3) Kanji dictionaries
often list kanji by stroke number & 4) kanji is an art form in Japan and
they will know when you cheat! 🙂 

If you only have time to remember one
thing get this:

START FROM THE TOP-LEFT
OF THE KANJI AND
WORK DOWN TO THE BOTTOM-RIGHT

RULE #1: From top to bottom

三 san
(three 3) 

言　(to say)

RULE #2: From left to right

州 (state)

 And when you have both a
vertical & horizontal go horizontal first 

十 (10)

But it wouldn’t be fun without exceptions!

田 (rice field)

王 (king)

RULE #3: If you have left, right and center options, work from the
center

水 (water) 

糸 (thread) 

RULE #4: If there is an outside bit surrounding an inside bit, the
outside comes first

国 (country) 

風 (wind)

Except when the outside is shaped like a
“C”

区 (district)

RULE #5: If there is a vertical line going through other parts, it
comes last or at least later

中 (inside, middle) 

書 (write, writing)

And if there is a horizontal line that overlaps other
parts, it goes last

女 (woman) 

RULE #6: If there is an “X” or a crossing of diagonals
the top-right to bottom-left goes first

文 (literature)

人 (person)

RULE #7: If there is a ,
it goes last:

進 (proceed)

These 7 rules will not cover all
kanji, but knowing these rules will help to figure out most kanji

100 Useful Kanji

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