Importance of stroke order?

[clintjm]

If you grab a kanji dictionary, you will see the need for knowledge of stroke order.

One day the batteries on your electronic dictionary with character recognition will run out.

[Sashimister]

Originally Posted by sakaeyellow

But sometimes stroke order simply doesn't make sense.

That isn't even what this thread is about.

Also, when you write 過, you are supposed to write the radical at the end, i.e. write 咼 first and then the radical. But what difference will it make if I write the radical first?

You haven't even read the other members' posts. Telling a beginning student that the stroke order is bull**** isn't going to help him in any way.

[KyleGoetz]

Originally Posted by sakaeyellow

But sometimes stroke order simply doesn't make sense.

For instance, when you write 十, you write the horizontal and then the vertical stroke, i.e. 一 and then l.

But when you write 田, after writing "n", you need to write the vertical stroke first, i.e. l > 7 > l > 一 > 一.

Also, when you write 過, you are supposed to write the radical at the end, i.e. write 咼 first and then the radical. But what difference will it make if I write the radical first?

You'll find nothing about any language makes sense 100% of the time

[ponkikki]

Originally Posted by sakaeyellow

Also, when you write 過, you are supposed to write the radical at the end, i.e. write 咼 first and then the radical. But what difference will it make if I write the radical first?

It might make sense when you write vertically in cursive style, I am not sure about it though.

[Sashimister]

Originally Posted by ponkikki

It might make sense when you write vertically in cursive style

Sheer opposite, dude, sheer opposite....

[ponkikki]

Originally Posted by Sashimister

Sheer opposite, dude, sheer opposite....

Deffinitely, you are right.
I failed to express what I wanted to say.
I wanted to say the stroke order, 咼 first and then the radical, would make sence when you write vertically in cursive style.

[jbradfor]

Originally Posted by sakaeyellow

But sometimes stroke order simply doesn't make sense.

For instance, when you write 十, you write the horizontal and then the vertical stroke, i.e. 一 and then l.

But when you write 田, after writing "n", you need to write the vertical stroke first, i.e. l > 7 > l > 一 > 一.

FWIW, in Chinese, the stroke order is horizontal then vertical for 田 : USC Chinese Group Character Project . Maybe you're just learning the wrong language?

[unisaurusrex]

Stroke order is a tradition, and it shows what you know about the language itself.
It's not heavily enforced, but if you are seen doing them incorrectly,
they will think it's weird

[steven]

Originally Posted by Sashimister

Telling a beginning student that the stroke order is bull**** isn't going to help him in any way.

Sometimes I think that beginning students shouldn't even be dealing with kanji though. When I was studying Japanese in school I always studied kanji and I could never remember any of them. It seemed pointless after a while (and incidently it was)

I eventually just gave up on writing and focused 100% on speaking and listening and now I'm pretty fluent (although my writing/reading isn't that great). However now I can pick up kanji much quicker, and when I read stuff and can better picture what is going on.

You are definately right though... a student who is just beginning writing should probably be careful of stroke order as it can look like a mess otherwise. I've had a couple of Japanese students who's writing looks terrible (I suspect stroke oder as well as some other problems) and they get made fun of for it.

[sakaeyellow]

Originally Posted by steven

Sometimes I think that beginning students shouldn't even be dealing with kanji though. When I was studying Japanese in school I always studied kanji and I could never remember any of them. It seemed pointless after a while (and incidently it was)

I eventually just gave up on writing and focused 100% on speaking and listening and now I'm pretty fluent (although my writing/reading isn't that great). However now I can pick up kanji much quicker, and when I read stuff and can better picture what is going on.

You are definately right though... a student who is just beginning writing should probably be careful of stroke order as it can look like a mess otherwise. I've had a couple of Japanese students who's writing looks terrible (I suspect stroke oder as well as some other problems) and they get made fun of for it.

I agree, considering that each Japanese Kanji has at least 2 pronunciations.