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There are 2 strokes. Let's call the short horizontal stroke A and the
vertical-curving-to-horizontal stroke B.

Some sources suggest the stroke order AB while other sources suggest BA.

The katakana ヒ comes from the character 世 which when considering the relevant
strokes follows the order AB.

Is there an official order of the katakana strokes available somewhere ?
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2020-12-29T16:25:48.257
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2020-12-29T21:10:32.437
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question
katakana
What is the stroke order of the katakana ヒ?
Typically, it is not a matter of AB vs. BA (the correct order is AB), but a
matter of _which direction_ is the A stroke written; is it left-to-right, or
right-to-left?

There are numerous sources that claim it should be left-to-right.

From [kakijun.jp](https://kakijun.jp/etc/k5i.html):

[![https://kakijun.jp/gif-h-k-
al/k5i.gif](https://i.stack.imgur.com/3kjAR.gif)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/3kjAR.gif)

However, there are other sources that claim it should be from right-to-left;
like a more (but not completely) horizontal katakana ノ.

Also from [kakijun.jp](https://kakijun.jp/etc/k5i.html):

[![https://kakijun.jp/gif/saji02200.gif](https://i.stack.imgur.com/PxCvQ.gif)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/PxCvQ.gif)

[This page](https://cumacuma.jp/eq/eq_index/hi-kakijun/) explains more about
each of these two theories, and a "conclusion". It's all in Japanese, so for
those who can't read it all, here's the gist of it:

  1. The left-to-right direction originated with textbook publishers. Before 1992 (平成4), they were split on the direction of the stroke. Then in 2005 (平成17), they settled on the left-to-right direction. This is the direction that is taught in elementary schools.
  2. The right-to-left direction is due to the fact that the katakana ヒ is derived from the **right side** of the kanji **比** (not sure where you saw that it is derived from 世), where the stroke order of the A on the right side is written from right-to-left:

[![https://cumacuma.jp/images/penji/diary/071004b.png](https://i.stack.imgur.com/LJ8Tx.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/LJ8Tx.png)

So the "conclusion" is that _typically_ you write it left-to-right for 硬筆
(writing w/ a pen or pencil), and right-to-left for calligraphy (書道). But it's
OK to do whichever is more natural or comfortable for you. I guess you could
say that of kana/kanji in general, but even if you're a purist, this character
is still ambiguous.

I personally do it from right-to-left like a flatter ノ, but that may be
because it feels more natural to me as a lefty.
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2020-12-29T17:59:28.477
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2020-12-29T21:10:32.437
2020-12-29T21:10:32.437
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answer