There is a Chinese way, and a Japanese way, that is where stroke orders/stroke numbers differ.

必 for example is different in Chinese and Japanese. I will never be able to write this correctly in the correct stroke order, i find myself writing it much neater (and closer to the actual character) if i write　こころ first, then ノ. Otherwise i get the composition and everything wrong.

The Chinese way in the character you gave is the 4 stroke way, I cant seem to find an authoritative Japanese stroke order place.

liosama Wrote:必 for example is different in Chinese and Japanese. I will never be able to write this correctly in the correct stroke order, i find myself writing it much neater (and closer to the actual character) if i write　こころ first, then ノ.

This is actually one of the example characters in the 筆順指導の手びき published by the Japanese Ministry of Education back in the 50s:

Quote:必 has several possibilities. We strongly reject (iii), and since (i) gives a good form more easily than (ii) we prefer (i).

where (i) is the 'standard' order with upper drop first, then both long strokes, then the other two drops; (ii) draws the long strokes first then all three drops; and (iii) is the 心 followed by ノ order. It also says "and others" implying other stroke orders are also not unknown...

I think that (like the Jouyou kanji list) this document is trying to bring some order to a situation where a number of different traditional orders were previously present; also like the Jouyou it is only 手びき and I don't suppose the "non-preferred" orders have died out entirely.

One calligraphy teacher I had said that [kana]kokoro[/kana] needs to be written with the three small dots in a rising line (i.e., NOT how it is printed in mincho-type fonts); but [kana]kanarazu[/kana] has the three dots in a triangle. So it's not 心＋ノ when written calligraphically.