[[Index]] | [[Characters]] | [[Radicals]] ## Introduction Strokes are the **individual brush movements** or **pen strokes** used to write characters. Each Chinese character is composed of one or more radicals, and these radicals are often constructed using various strokes. Strokes are the most basic building blocks of Chinese characters, there are eight basic types of strokes: > [!Examples] > 1. **Horizontal (一)**: A horizontal stroke is drawn from left to right. > 2. **Vertical (丨)**: A vertical stroke is drawn from top to bottom. > 3. **Left-falling (丿)**: A left-falling stroke is drawn diagonally from upper right to lower left. > 4. **Right-falling (乙)**: A right-falling stroke is drawn diagonally from upper left to lower right. > 5. **Hook (亅)**: A hook stroke curves to the right. > 6. **Dot (丶)**: A dot stroke is a small, round mark. > 7. **Horizontal Hook (乛)**: A horizontal hook stroke is a horizontal stroke with a hook at the end. > 8. **Turn (乚)**: A turn stroke curves to the right. These strokes are **combined** to **form radicals**, which are then combined further to create complex Chinese characters. While radicals themselves are not broken down into strokes, they are composed of strokes arranged in specific configurations. Understanding strokes and their **order of writing** is essential for proper **Chinese calligraphy** and handwriting. By mastering stroke order and stroke types, learners can effectively write Chinese characters with **proper form** and balance. ## The Complete List The following list organizes Chinese strokes from simple to compound in a well-known system of categorization, it reflects how basic strokes combine to form more complex ones. ### Basic Strokes These are the simplest strokes and often form the foundation for more complex structures. - [[左点 ((zuǒ diǎn))]] - Left Dot - [[短点 ((duǎn diǎn))]] - Short Dot - [[长点 ((cháng diǎn))]] - Long Dot - [[横 ((héng))]] - Horizontal Line - [[短竖 ((duǎn shù))]] - Short Vertical - [[长竖 ((cháng shù))]] - Long Vertical - [[撇 ((piě))]] - Downward Left Stroke - [[提 ((tí))]] - Upward Stroke - [[平捺 ((píng nà))]] - Flat Pressing Stroke - [[斜捺 ((xié nà))]] - Slanting Pressing Strok ### Complex Strokes These strokes combine basic strokes with hooks or bends. - [[斜钩 ((xié gōu))]] - Slant Hook - [[弯钩 ((wān gōu))]] - Curved Hook - [[横钩 ((héng gōu))]] - Horizontal Hook - [[竖钩 ((shù gōu))]] - Vertical Hook - [[横折 ((héng zhé))]] - Horizontal Turn - [[竖折 ((shù zhé))]] - Vertical Turn - [[撇折 ((piě zhé))]] - Downward Left Turn - [[竖提 ((shù tí))]] - Vertical Stroke with Upward Stroke - [[横撇 ((héng piě))]] - Horizontal Stroke with Downward Diagonal Stroke ### Compound Strokes These are more complex structures, typically involving multiple turns, hooks, or bends. - [[横折折 ((héng zhé zhé))]] - Horizontal Double Turn - [[竖折折 ((shù zhé zhé))]] - Vertical Double Turn - [[横折弯 ((héng zhé wān))]] - Horizontal Turn with Bend - [[横折钩 ((héng zhé gōu))]] - Horizontal Turn with Hook - [[横折提 ((héng zhé tí))]] - Horizontal Turn with Upward Stroke - [[竖弯钩 ((shù wān gōu))]] - Vertical Bend with Hook - [[横折折撇 ((héng zhé zhé piě))]] - Horizontal Double Turn with Downward Left Stroke - [[竖折折撇 ((shù zhé zhé piě))]] - Vertical Double Turn with Downward Left Stroke - [[横折折折 ((héng zhé zhé zhé))]] - Horizontal Stroke, with Three Angled Strokes - [[横折弯钩 ((héng zhé wān gōu))]] - Horizontal Turn with Bend and Hook - [[横折折折 ((héng zhé zhé zhé))]] - Horizontal Triple Turn - [[横折斜钩 ((héng zhé xié gōu))]] - Horizontal Turn with Slant Hook - [[竖折折钩 ((shù zhé zhé gōu))]] - Vertical Double Turn with Hook - [[横折折折钩 ((héng zhé zhé zhé gōu))]] - Horizontal Triple Turn with Hook - [[横折撇弯钩 ((héng zhé piě wān gōu))]] - Horizontal Turn, Downward Left Stroke, Bend, and Hook