How to use the sheets
- Look at the stroke order. Under each character you see how it is written: every next square adds one stroke, with the new one in colour.
- Trace the grey characters. The three squares after the model are for tracing. Move the pen in the same order and the same direction as in the diagram.
- Write it yourself. Fill the empty squares from memory, checking against the model. The cross in the square helps you keep the proportions: watch which strokes pass through the middle.
- Say it out loud. Name the character while you write it, so your hand, eyes and ears all learn the same thing. The reading and meaning are written next to it.
The basic rules of stroke order
Stroke order isn’t arbitrary: the same rules work in almost every character. Following them is faster, and the character comes out neater.
- Top to bottom. Upper strokes first, lower ones after: 三 starts with the top line.
- Left to right. The left part first, then the right: in 你 the “person” on the left comes first.
- Horizontal before vertical. When strokes cross, the horizontal one usually goes first: 十.
- Outside first, then inside, and close it last. For a character with a frame, you draw its top and sides, fill in the middle and only then add the bottom stroke: 国, 日.
- Middle before the sides. In symmetrical characters the central stroke comes first: 小, 水.
Which grid to choose
The square with a cross — it’s called the “field” grid after the character 田 — splits a character into four parts. That’s enough for most characters and for a start. The square with diagonals, the “rice” grid after 米, helps with slanted strokes: you can see the angle they go at. Start with the cross and switch on the diagonals when the characters get more complex.
Frequently asked questions
How do I print the practice sheets or save them as a PDF?
Press “Print or save as PDF”. Your browser’s print window opens: choose a printer, or “Save as PDF” to get a file. The sheet is laid out for A4 paper.
Which characters are on the sheets?
All 248 characters of the HSK 1 words in the new syllabus, grouped by topic. You can type your own too: if a character has stroke data, it appears on the sheet.
Do I need to write characters by hand if I have a keyboard?
Yes, at least at the start. Writing a character stroke by stroke teaches you what parts it is made of, and you stop mixing up similar characters. Typing in pinyin doesn’t replace that.
How many times should I write a character to remember it?
A little, but on different days: a row or two today, a row the day after tomorrow and one more a week later. Twenty repeats in a row do less than five with breaks between them.
Can I print an empty grid?
Yes. Choose “Empty grid” to get a sheet of squares with no models. The grid can have a cross, or a cross and diagonals.
The characters on the sheets come from the HSK 1 word list. What parts they are built from is explained in the article on character radicals.
The same thing, on screen
In the lessons you draw the strokes with your finger or mouse, and the order is checked right away: a wrong stroke doesn’t count. Free, no sign-up.
Start for free