8 Rules
Canonical Rules
3 Caveats
Writing Exceptions
When a horizontal stroke and a vertical stroke cross each other, write the horizontal bar first, then drop the vertical pillar through it.
Key Exception & Nuance: Placing the horizontal beam first establishes the character width, allowing you to center the vertical spine accurately.
十 (2)
In symmetrical diagonal pairs, sweep the left-falling stroke (丿 piě) first, then press the right-falling stroke (乀 nà) to anchor the right foot.
Key Exception & Nuance: Your hand naturally moves left-to-right; finishing with the right-falling foot positions the pen tip closer to the next character box.
人 (2)
Stacked strokes and vertically layered radicals are written strictly from the highest component down to the base.
Key Exception & Nuance: Prevents your hand from smudging wet ink and lets you judge vertical spacing inside the grid box as you descend.
三 (3)
In side-by-side characters (⿰), complete the entire left-hand radical before starting the right-hand component.
Key Exception & Nuance: Left-side radicals (like 亻, 氵, 女) usually occupy 35%–40% of the box width, leaving a clear stage for the right-side phonetic component.
好 (6)
For three-sided enclosures open at the bottom, right, or top-right (冂, 匚, 广, 尸), draw the outer frame first, then fill the interior.
Key Exception & Nuance: Drawing the outer boundary first defines the container size so internal strokes never overflow the frame.
月 (4)
For four-sided full enclosures (囗, 日, 田), draw the left vertical and top-right turn, fill all inner strokes, and seal the bottom horizontal bar last.
Key Exception & Nuance: If you seal the box before filling it, you often run out of room inside; sealing last guarantees a tight bottom corner join.
国 (8)
When a central vertical stroke is flanked by symmetrical left and right strokes (as in 水 and 小), anchor the center spine first, then add the left wing and right wing.
Key Exception & Nuance: Locking the center spine onto the vertical grid line ensures the left and right wings mirror each other evenly.
水 (4)
Exception to Rule 5: when a character uses the bottom-left carrying radicals 辶 (walk) or 廴 (build), write the inner upper-right component first, and finish with the carrying radical.
Key Exception & Nuance: The long sweeping foot of 辶 must stretch far enough to cradle the entire upper-right component, which you can only judge after that component is drawn.
道 (12)
In 力 (power) and 刀 (knife), you write the Horizontal-Folding-Hook first and the Left-Falling Piě second. In 九 (nine), however, the sweeping Piě goes FIRST so your hand can judge the crossing angle of the Horizontal-Tilted-Curved-Hook.
Although top-left frames like 广, 厂, and 疒 are written first, bottom-left walking radicals 辶 (as in 道, 这, 远) and 廴 (as in 建, 延) are written LAST so the final flat Nà stroke can expand or contract to carry the entire inner character.
In 方 (fāng), the bottom portion writes the right-hand Horizontal-Fold-Hook BEFORE the left-falling Piě (Dot → Horizontal → Hook → Piě). In 火 (huǒ), always write the two flanking top dots first (Left dot → Right short Piě) before the central sweeping 人 strokes.