by Hugh Grigg. Published on Sunday 18th December 2011. 
To learn Chinese characters as effectively as possible, it’s important to get the stroke order right. As you get a feel for the correct sequence, it becomes a lot easier to memorise characters. Using the correct stroke order also helps your characters look balanced and elegant.
Here’s a set of stroke order rules to put into practice when learning to write hanzi.
1. Top to bottom
Strokes at the top of the character are written before those lower down.
三 (sān): three
立 (lì): to stand
2. Left to right
Strokes on the left should be written before strokes on the right.
八 (bā): eight
吃 (chī): to eat
3. Horizontal before vertical
Horizontal strokes (一) should be written before vertical strokes (丨).
十 (shí): ten
千 (qiān): thousand
4. Centre first in symmetrical characters
In characters with a fairly symmetrical structure, the central stroke should be written first.
小 (xiǎo): small
水 (shuǐ): water
5. Character spanning strokes last
If there is a stroke that cuts across or spans several other strokes, it should be written last.
王 (wáng): king
申 (shēn): to extend, to explain
6. Close frames last
The contents of an enclosure should be completed first, and the frame closed afterwards.
日 (rì): sun
回 (huí): to return
Summary
- Top to bottom
- Left to right
- Horizontal before vertical
- Centre first in symmetrical characters
- Character spanning strokes last
- Close frames last
These rules can be broken for certain characters. As you learn to write characters, these rules will become internalised until they seem totally natural. The exceptions, too, will lodge in your memory so that you won’t need to think about them consciously.
Useful books
- Learn to Write Chinese Characters (Johan Björkstén) – as well as the basics of Chinese characters, this book also teaches you how to write elegantly and accurately.
- Read and Write Chinese Script (Song Lianyi) – also covers Chinese writing in general
On other websites
- Stroke order – Skritter – includes animations of stroke order rules.
- Nciku has stroke order animations for every Chinese character.
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I have always been a bit weary about stoke order. I understand if you are doing calligraphy then it is a must, but for me it has always been a moot point. You’ve got your own best way to write Chinese characters. I never, close the boxes last and often screw many other orders, but it’s my method and works for me. Just write, and write what feels natural to you.
Well, it’s not to say there’s only one correct stroke order. There is a standard one, described here, from the kaishu writing style. As far as I know though, it is normal to use your own variation and style.