Chinese (Mandarin)/Pinyin Pronunciation/Stroke Order

Stroke order is generally

1) Left to right (e.g. 全)

2) Top then down (e.g. 人)

The radical is written first, usually on the top or the right.

Some more rules:

3) Write horizontal strokes then vertical strokes. (e.g. 工)

4) Diagonals go right to left. (e.g. 又)

5) Interior and exterior parts

a) If the characters are partially enclosed, then exterior first then interior. (e.g. 月)

b) BUT, if the characters are only enclosed on the bottom, then interior then exterior. (e.g. 建)

c) If the characters are completely enclosed, then draw the left, top-right first then the interior, then finish by enclosing the bottom. (e.g. 田)

d) In an enclosing part, the left stroke of the 'box' goes first, then the top-right. (e.g. 四)

6) Centre bodies then the 'wings.' (e.g. 小)

7) Strokes that 'cut' through another part comes last. (e.g. 羊)

8) If the character contains a top left dot, then that dot would go first. (e.g. 為)

9) If the character contains an interior or upper-right goes last. (e.g. 玉)