An introduction to Chinese calligraphy
基本笔画（颜体） Fundamental Strokes (Yanti)
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基本笔画（颜体） Fundamental Strokes (Yanti)
There are twenty two fundamental strokes and each is described below for the Yan style (颜体).
左上点 Upper Left Dot
左上点
Upper Left Dot
Turn the brush moving left
Turn the brush moving down and right
Move back in a transition
Move the brush out and up off the paper
This stroke is used in the characters 为, 精, and 禜,.
上点 Upper Dot
上点 Upper Dot
Move the tip to the right
Turn the brush moving down and left
Move back and stop An upper dot (上点 or 斜点) is used in the characters 主, 文, 之, 夜, 空, and 度.
主 Zhu
|
文 We
|
左下点 Lower Left Dot
左下点 Lower Left Dot
Move the tip to the left
Moving the brush down and left
Move back in a transition
Move the brush out and up off the paper
This stroke is used in the character 然.
右下点 Lower Right Dot
右下点 Lower Right Dot
Move the tip to the right
Continue down and right
Move down and around
Return back and stop
This stroke is used in the characters 下, 示, and 原.
下
Xia
|
内
Nei
|
短横 Short Horizontal Stroke
短横 Short Horizontal Stroke
Turn the brush moving right
Move the brush to the right
Turn the tip down
Move back and stop
This stroke is used in the characters 主, 二, 日, 在, 至, 石, and 换.
主 Zhu
|
二 Er
|
日 Ri
|
长横 Long Horizontal Stroke
长横 Long Horizontal Stroke
Turn the brush moving right
Move the brush to the right
Turn the tip down
Move back and stop
This stroke is used in the characters 下, 二, 王, 长, 事, 童, 青, and 子.
下 Xia
|
二 Er
|
王 Wang
|
直竖 Straight Vertical
直竖 Straight Vertical
Turn the brush moving down
Firm downward movement
Turn the tip right
Move back and stop
This stroke is used in the characters 下, 将, 第, 处, and 半.
下 Xia
左弧竖 Left Vertical
左弧竖 Left Vertical
Turn the brush moving down
Use a left facing arc shaped downward movement
Turn the tip right
Move back and stop
This stroke is used in the characters 日, 柜, 问, 同, and 得.
日 Ri
|
行 Xing
|
右弧竖 Right Vertical
右弧竖 Right Vertical
Turn the brush moving down
Use a right facing arc shaped downward movement
Turn the tip back and up
Lightly lift the brush and stop
This stroke is used in the characters 肃 and 引.
悬针 Hanging Vertical
悬针 Hanging Vertical
Turn the brush moving down
Turn back to thicken the middle of the stroke
Continue moving the brush down
Move the brush straight down and off the page
This stroke is used in the characters 牛, 中, and 千.
牛 Niu
|
十 Shi
|
早 Zao
|
竖钩 Vertical Hooked
竖钩 Vertical Hooked
Turn the brush moving down
Continue moving the brush down forming a curved edge on the right side
Move the brush down and around
Bring the tip around and off the paper forming a definite hook
This stroke is used in the characters 于, 行, 到, 东, and 打.
于 Yu
|
行 Xing
|
狐钩 Hooked Arc
狐钩 Hooked Arc
Turn the brush moving down
Move the brush along an arc
Bring the tip back and up
Bring the tip around and off the paper forming a definite hook
This stroke is used in the characters 武, 我, 载, and 戏.
折钩 Turning Hook
折钩 Turning Hook Stroke
Turn the brush moving down
Move the right forming an arc
Bring the tip back
Lift the brush to form an upward facing hook
This stroke is used in the characters 化, 光, and 也.
横钩 Horizontal Hooked
横钩 Horizontal Hooked Stroke
Turn the brush moving right
Lift the brush and then press down again
Bring the tip back
Press, turn, and then flick up and off the paper
This stroke is used in the characters 虎, 爱, and 军.
挑法 Upward Flick
挑法 Upward Flick Stroke
Turn the brush moving down
Bring the tip back
Press down again
Press, turn, and then flick up and off the paper
This stroke is used in the characters 海, 泊, and 冰.
短撇 Short Downwards Left Curved
短撇 Short Downwards Left Curved Stroke
Turn the brush moving down
Bring the tip back
Keep moving down and left
Flick up and off the paper
This stroke is used in the characters 牛, 父, 足 and and 但.
牛 Niu
|
父 Fu
|
入 Ru
|
啄 Left Curved
啄 Left Curved Stroke
Turn the brush moving down
Turn and press the brush down
Lift the brush up off the paper a little
Flick up and off the paper
This stroke is used in the characters 乎, 手, 和, and 香.
长撇 Long Downwards Left Curved
长撇 Long Downwards Left Curved Stroke
Turn the tip moving down
Continue moving the brush down
Change the direction a little to the left
Flick up and off the paper
This stroke is used in the characters 人, 户, 拜, 厂, and 左.
人 Ren
|
父 Fu
|
拜 Bai
|
捺 Downwards Right Concave Stroke
捺 Downwards Right Concave Stroke
Turn the tip moving right
Continue moving the brush right and down
Bring the brush back and up
Turn the brush again and flick up and off the paper
This stroke is used in the characters 人, 八, 父, 春, 全, and 交.
人 Ren
|
文 Wen
|
父 Fu
|
平捺 Flat Right Concave Stroke
平捺 Flat Right Concave Stroke
Turn the tip moving right
Continue moving the brush right
Turn the tip back
Turn the brush right again and flick up and off the paper
This stroke is used in the characters 之, 道, 这, and 是.
右厥 Right Combined Horizontal and Vertical Hook Stroke
右厥 Right Combined Horizontal and Vertical Hook Stroke
Turn the tip moving right
Move down for the horizontal stroke
Move around and back up
Form a definite left facing hook
This stroke is used in the characters 四, 册, 内, 高, 有, and 国.
四 Si
|
冊 Ce
|
内 Nei
|
左厥 Left Combined Horizontal and Vertical Hook Stroke
左厥 Left Combined Horizontal and Vertical Hook Stroke
Turn the tip moving down
At the corner lighten pressure on the brush, turn, and then increase pressure again
Reduce pressure again and then move right
At the end of the horizontal stroke turn around to and down.
Turn the tip back.
This stroke is used in the character 喝 and 函.
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