11/09/10 An Introduction of Chinese Character Writing November 9, 2010

11/09/10 Summery of writing Chinese characters Stroke Types Stroke Order Component Order

11/09/10 Stroke Types 永 Strokes are traditionally classified into eight basic forms, each appearing in the character “eternally” and listed below according to their contemporary names. Though somewhat arbitrary, this system has remained popular for nearly two millennia.

11/09/10 Stroke Types 1. "Dian" - A simple dot.Dian

11/09/10 Stroke Types 2. "Heng" - Horizontal stroke, left to right.Heng

11/09/10 Stroke Types 3. "Shu" - Vertical stroke, top to bottom.Shu

11/09/10 Stroke Types 4. "Gou" - Hook appended to other strokes.Gou

11/09/10 Stroke Types 5. "Ti" - Diagonal stroke, rising from left to right.Ti

11/09/10 Stroke Types 6. "Pie" - Diagonal stroke, falling from right to left.Pie

11/09/10 Stroke Types 7. "Duan Pie" - Short diagonal stroke, falling from right to left.DuanPie

11/09/10 "Na" - Horizontal stroke, falling from left to right.Na Stroke Types

11/09/10 Stroke Types These basic strokes are sometimes combined without the pen leaving the paper. In the above example of "eternally", strokes are written as one continuous stroke, as are strokes 5-6. Hence in dictionaries this character is indexed as having five separate strokes. indexed

11/09/10 Stroke Order Writing characters in the correct order is essential for the character to look correct. Two basic rules are followed:

11/09/10 Stroke Order 1. Top before bottom

11/09/10 Stroke Order 2. Left before right

11/09/10 Stroke Order These rules conflict whenever one stroke is to the bottom and left of another. Several additional rules resolve many of these conflicts.

11/09/10 Stroke Order 3. Left vertical stroke (usually) before top horizontal stroke

11/09/10 Stroke Order 4. Bottom horizontal stroke last 。

11/09/10 Stroke Order 5. Center stroke before wings

11/09/10 Stroke Order 6. Horizontal strokes before intersecting vertical strokes

11/09/10 Stroke Order 7. Left-falling strokes before right-falling srokes

11/09/10 Stroke Order A final rule can contradict the others: 8. Minor strokes (often) last

11/09/10 Stroke Order Despite these conflicts between rules most students quickly acquire a natural feel for the proper stroke order.

11/09/10 Component Order Most Chinese characters are combinations of simpler, component characters. Usually the two parts are written at top and bottom

11/09/10 Component Order or left and right

11/09/10 Component Order so that the main two stroke order rules readily apply. Occasionally these rules also conflict with respect to components. When one component is at the bottom-left, and the other at the top-right, the top- right component is sometimes written first.

11/09/10 Component Order When there are several components, top components are written first.

11/09/10 Component Order These rules usually imply each component is written in its entirety before another component is written. Exceptions may arise when one component divides another,

11/09/10 Component Order encompasses another, or the individual components are no longer discernible in modern writing.