Could someone explain to me why with kanji like 生 after the top horizontal
stroke I have to go on with the vertical one, while instead with kanji like 金
I have to draw the two horizontal strokes and then the vertical one? Is there
a simple rule to be applied?
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-04-18T12:03:10.203
66664
2021-10-16T18:06:30.940
2021-10-16T18:06:30.940
30454
33749
question
stroke-order
Correct order of horizontal and vertical strokes
The primary reason the stroke orders are what they are is that in Japanese,
lots of characters are optimised for writing efficiency and/or _cursive_
script. While they seem illogical at first, if you follow these stroke orders,
you will eventually start writing more efficiently with less tired hands for
longer pieces of writing (while simultaneously maintaining legibility).

> [![enter image description
> here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/Bmoiv.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/Bmoiv.png)
>
> This is「生」written in **one or two** strokes, which can only be achieved if
> you follow the hand motions of the Japanese stroke order.
>
> [![enter image description
> here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/F5GFi.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/F5GFi.png)
>
> * * *
>
> [![enter image description
> here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/uN9F0.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/uN9F0.png)
>
> This is「金」written in **three or four** strokes. Again, it follows the hand
> motions of the stroke order that you're taught.
>
> [![enter image description
> here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/spx9C.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/spx9C.png)
>
> * * *
>
> 「全」is no exception!
>
> [![enter image description
> here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/3Ktrk.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/3Ktrk.png)
>
> [![enter image description
> here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/HwlpK.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/HwlpK.png)

The secondary reason is that if you don't follow these stroke orders, you risk
getting marked wrong in your tests.

* * *

_All images from cidianwang.com and jisho.org._
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-04-19T00:14:24.160
66675
2019-04-19T00:14:24.160
2020-06-17T08:18:27.500
-1
26510
66664
answer
This site here may help: <https://www.tofugu.com/japanese/kanji-stroke-order/>

Summary: Kanji Stroke orders are:

  1. start left-to-right, top-to-bottom; 
  2. then horizontal lines coming before vertical lines; 
  3. then symmetrical lines on either side of a vertical line; 
  4. then symmetrical strokes not on a line; 
  5. then inside-to-outside (unless it's a box kanji, then box it in before writing the rest); 
  6. then right-to-left diagonals; 
  7. then line that cross a lot of other lines; 
  8. then dashes at the end unless the dash is the top-left line, in which case it comes first. 

Knowing these stroke orders can help you write faster for longer. The only
other place I can think this is useful in is school if they make you write
them step-by-step.
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-04-20T01:56:57.270
66686
2019-04-20T01:56:57.270
33768
66664
answer