Remembering Kanji Stroke Order

Anybody that's ever purchased a basic kanji guide (not including the faux-kanji snake-oil guide by Heisig) will have been merely whelmed by how simple the basic stroke order rules are as outlined in the opening chapters. Once you learn the basic patterns, the kanji practically write themselves it would seem. Why is it then that even native adults continue to cock up some of the simplest kanji on a regular basis then? Fact is there are sufficient inconsistencies in the rules to warrant an entire chapter dedicated to this particular topic. I don't have a chapter, so here are some of the more obvious ones.

We'll begin with the deceptively simple "hand" element comprising one horizontal stroke (left to right) and one near vertical stroke (top to bottom-left). Which stroke comes first depends on the character or component being constructed. Thankfully, there are only 5 to choose from, those being 左, 右, 友, 有, and 布. Out of these:

左 and 友 are written horizontal → vertical. This also applies when the character is used as a component of a more complex character such as 佐, 惰, 抜 etc.

右, 有, and 布 on the other hand are written vertical → horizontal. Likewise, these also apply when components of more complex characters such as 若, 堕, and 希.

石 is written exactly as you'd expect - horizontal → vertical.

Next we come to the similarly deceptive element 厂. From the outset,this seems fairly simple - horizontal → vertical under all circumstances e.g. 原, 厘, 振. Add an apostrophe and the order remains the same e.g. 麻, 庭 etc.

However, when the horizontal stroke is either hooked (虎), crossed through (成) or both (皮) then the order changes to vertical → horizontal.

Additionally, watch out for slightly diagonal horizontal strokes such as found in 斤 and all compounds therein, such as 近, 浜 etc. - the horizontal stroke is drawn first from right to left followed by the vertical stroke, as two separate strokes.

Next comes 王 and variations of. In its two main forms 王 (全, 球 etc.) and 玉 (国, 宝 etc.) the stroke order is consistent - top horizontal → centre vertical → centre horizontal etc. and the apostrophe always comes after the final horizontal stroke in 玉.

In the case of 金 (鍛, 鑑 etc.) however, the order changes from top horizontal → centre horizontal → centre vertical. Again, the two apostrophes come after the final horizontal stroke.

And speaking of apostrophes harshing our respective mellows, look out for these in groups underneath 人 shapes such as 大 or 夂. With groups of one or two apostrophes, the direction of the stroke should match the final preceding stroke of the 人 element e.g. 太 or 冬. When there's three apostrophes, the direction switches to oppose the final preceding stroke e.g. 参, 修 etc.

Finally 匚 vs 囗. This is very simple and consistent, but it's easy to slip into bad habits.

In the case of 囗 such as used in 国, 図 etc., the left vertical comes first followed by the top horizontal and the right vertical as a single stroke. The inner content is then drawn, with the bottom horizontal drawn last.

匚 on the other hand, as used in 医, 区, 欧 etc. starts with the top horizontal stroke, followed by the content. The left vertical stroke and the lower horizontal stroke are drawn together in the shape of a capital "L" as the final single stroke of the component. This may feel awkward if you're used to writing it another way, so get used to it.

This has barely even scratched the surface, but hopefully will go some way to showing that even the inconsistencies have some consistency to them, and that mastery of the kanji should be that much closer to being within reach.