KanjiPadKanji Stroke Order
Every kanji is written in a fixed order, and nearly all of it follows a handful of rules. Learn the rules once and you can work out the stroke order of a kanji you have never seen before. Each rule below is shown with a real kanji, animated.
The rules, one kanji at a time
- 1
Top to bottom
Start at the top and work down: 三 is written one line at a time, highest first.
三 · Stroke order → - 2
Left to right
At the same height the leftmost stroke leads — 川 runs left, middle, right.
川 · Stroke order → - 3
Horizontal before vertical
Where two strokes cross, the horizontal one comes first, as in 十.
十 · Stroke order → - 4
Centre before wings
In a symmetrical shape like 小 the middle stroke leads and the sides follow.
小 · Stroke order → - 5
Outside before inside
Build the frame before what sits in it — 口 opens with its outer walls.
口 · Stroke order → - 6
Close the box last
An enclosure like 国 is filled first; the bottom line seals it at the end.
国 · Stroke order → - 7
Vertical piercing stroke last
A stroke that runs through the whole character, like the spine of 中, comes last.
中 · Stroke order → - 8
Left-falling before right-falling
Of two diagonals, the one falling to the left is written first, as in 人.
人 · Stroke order →
Popular kanji with stroke order
Every one of the 2136 jōyō kanji has its own page with animated stroke order, readings and example words.
Keep going
Learn stroke order by writing: the app grades every stroke as you draw it.