Kanji stroke order rules

Most kanji follow a few rules: write from top to bottom and left to right, horizontal before vertical when they cross, the centre before the sides, the outside before the inside, and close a box last. With these you can work out the stroke order of most new kanji.

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The rules

1. Top to bottom. 三: the top stroke comes first.
2. Left to right. 川: the left stroke comes first.
3. Horizontal before vertical when they cross. 十: the horizontal comes first.
4. Centre before sides. 小: the middle stroke comes first, then left and right. 水 works the same way.
5. Left-falling stroke before right-falling. 人: the stroke falling to the left comes first.
6. Frame before contents. 月: the frame comes first, then the two strokes inside.
7. Close a box last. 国: the bottom stroke comes after the contents. 田 works the same way.
8. A vertical that runs through everything comes last. 中: the middle vertical comes at the end.
9. A horizontal that runs through everything comes last. 女: the horizontal comes after the other two strokes.
10. A dot at the top right comes last. 犬: the dot comes at the end.
11. The road part goes last. 道: the part 辶 is written after everything else.

Exceptions

The rules are guides, not laws. The best-known exception is 右 and 左: both open with nearly the same strokes, but 右 starts with the slanting one and 左 with the horizontal. When in doubt, look at the diagram on the kanji's own page.

Why stroke order matters

The right order keeps a kanji's proportions, makes your handwriting legible and quick, and helps you remember it. Handwriting recognition relies on it too. Hiragana and katakana have a stroke order as well.

Frequently asked questions

Last updated 1 November 2026