Chinese character writing guides
The foundations of writing Chinese characters by hand, from the eight basic strokes to calligraphy scripts, for learners, parents and teachers.
Start here: learning path
Stroke order rules
The core rules that decide the order of strokes in almost every Chinese character, with examples, exceptions and why stroke order matters.
Step 2Basic strokes & their names
The eight basic strokes, their Chinese names and common compound strokes, plus the classic calligraphy lesson hidden in the character 永.
Step 3How to count strokes
How to count strokes correctly, why turning strokes count as one, and the radicals such as 艹, 辶 and 阝 that trip people up.
Step 4Radicals (部首) explained
What radicals are, how the 214 Kangxi radicals organise every dictionary, the variant forms they take, and how radicals differ from Cangjie’s 24 keys.
Step 5Character structure
The structural patterns Chinese characters are built from, how common each one is, and how to proportion each type neatly when writing.
Step 6Six Writings (六書)
The traditional six categories of Chinese character formation, from pictographs to phono-semantic compounds, with examples and real statistics on how common each is.
Step 7Traditional vs Simplified
Where Simplified characters came from, the six main ways characters were simplified, who uses each script, and the one-to-many traps that break automatic conversion.
Step 8Most common characters
The most frequent Traditional Chinese characters in order, with Cangjie and Quick codes, and how many characters you actually need to read everyday Chinese.
More guides
Hong Kong standard forms
What Hong Kong’s List of Graphemes of Commonly-Used Chinese Characters is, why HK, Taiwan and mainland glyphs differ slightly, and what it means for students and typists.
Calligraphy scripts
The major scripts in the history of Chinese writing, what each looks like, famous calligraphers, the Four Treasures of the Study and where a beginner should start.
Improve your handwriting
A practical method for neater Chinese handwriting: choosing 田字格 or 米字格 paper, tracing then copying, focusing on main strokes and proportion, and checking your work.
Pen grip & posture
How to hold a pen and sit when writing Chinese, including the classic “one foot, one fist, one inch” rule, common grip problems in children, and how to hold a calligraphy brush.
How to use a Chinese dictionary
Five ways to find a character in a Chinese dictionary: by radical, by stroke count, by pronunciation, by four-corner code and by Cangjie code or handwriting online.
Helping children with dictation
Research-informed, practical techniques for parents to help children remember Chinese characters: components and stories, spaced practice, active recall and a stress-free dictation week plan.