<p>The correct answer came from <a href="https://chinese.stackexchange.com/users/6065/user6065">user6065</a> in a comment above. I wanted to make it clear to others as well, it is discussed in detail <a href="http://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/29812/">here</a>:</p>

<p>The characters  女、火、长 ，丑 have a historical stroke order that differs from the current recommended order and are simply learnt.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-02-02T17:43:08.343Z
2019-02-02T17:43:08.343Z
Jascha Grübel
<p>Just wanna say, it is not very important, as long as you keep the general rule: left to right, top to down.</p>

<p>It is OK however you write it!</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-15T15:34:27.033Z
Chinese brushstroke order is important. To be fair, there is a set brushstroke order in English writing as well. Regardless of the language, the brushstroke order is there to ease production more efficiently.
Double U
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-10T16:06:00.050Z
2019-01-10T16:06:00.050Z
Alex
<p>I was practising cháng when I looked up the strike order and got confused by the first and second stroke:</p>
<p><img src="https://dict.leo.org/media/strokes/K1OfiuoocXt.png" alt="series of four images showing the stroke order of 长: a left sweep, a rightward stroke, a downward stroke and a right sweep" /></p>
<p>Because I learned the stroke order differently like this:</p>
<p><a href="https://chinesetop.blogspot.com/2016/08/chang-long.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://chinesetop.blogspot.com/2016/08/chang-long.html</a></p>
<p>Can anybody explain the difference?</p>
<p>Edit: sorry that was the wrong video.  I meant as the second part off this Zhang character:
<a href="https://i.sstatic.net/FcLOc.gif" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/FcLOc.gif" alt="enter image description here" /></a><br />
<sub>(source: <a href="http://content.visualmandarin.com/resources/images/large_2325096282.gif" rel="nofollow noreferrer">visualmandarin.com</a>)</sub></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-10T14:33:06.003Z
I suggest you watch the video again. It shows the same stroke order as your picture.
dROOOze
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-10T14:38:57.310Z
As @droooze said, the stroke order in the video is the same. This is also the stroke order that I learnt.
Tsundoku
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-10T15:58:23.150Z
also note comment #1 of https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/29812/is-there-an-official-stroke-order-for-each-character esp. 绝大多数汉字应当按照笔顺规则书写。由于汉字结构复杂，有些汉字习惯的写法与笔顺规则不尽一直，天长日久，也就流传和固定下来了。女、火、**长** ，丑、非等字就是这样
user6065
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-10T16:49:09.190Z
Thank you all. I added the wrong source. I added a link to a gif with the actual order I meant.
Jascha Grübel
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-10T16:50:55.593Z
@user6065 that is a great reference if you put it up as an answer I'll gladly accept it as the solution. Though it would be nice to know which version produce the more readable cursive.
Jascha Grübel
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-10T18:12:32.553Z
re "which version", according to quoted sources there seems to be just one version for each of 长 and right half of 张，it just so happens that in the 2nd case the general stroke order rules are followed, in the 1st among a few other special cases there is deviation from them
user6065
<stroke-order>
Stroke order for 长
# Stroke order for 长

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-01-10)

I was practising cháng when I looked up the strike order and got confused by the first and second stroke:

![series of four images showing the stroke order of 长: a left sweep, a rightward stroke, a downward stroke and a right sweep](https://dict.leo.org/media/strokes/K1OfiuoocXt.png)

Because I learned the stroke order differently like this:

<https://chinesetop.blogspot.com/2016/08/chang-long.html>

Can anybody explain the difference?

Edit: sorry that was the wrong video. I meant as the second part off this Zhang character:
[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/FcLOc.gif)](https://i.sstatic.net/FcLOc.gif)  
(source: [visualmandarin.com](http://content.visualmandarin.com/resources/images/large_2325096282.gif))

**Tags:** stroke-order
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I suggest you watch the video again. It shows the same stroke order as your picture.  
> **username_2**: As @droooze said, the stroke order in the video is the same. This is also the stroke order that I learnt.  
> **username_3**: also note comment #1 of https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/29812/is-there-an-official-stroke-order-for-each-character esp. 绝大多数汉字应当按照笔顺规则书写。由于汉字结构复杂，有些汉字习惯的写法与笔顺规则不尽一直，天长日久，也就流传和固定下来了。女、火、**长** ，丑、非等字就是这样  
> **username_0**: Thank you all. I added the wrong source. I added a link to a gif with the actual order I meant.  
> **username_0**: @user6065 that is a great reference if you put it up as an answer I'll gladly accept it as the solution. Though it would be nice to know which version produce the more readable cursive.  
> **username_3**: re "which version", according to quoted sources there seems to be just one version for each of 长 and right half of 张，it just so happens that in the 2nd case the general stroke order rules are followed, in the 1st among a few other special cases there is deviation from them  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_0 on 2019-02-02. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

The correct answer came from [user6065](https://chinese.stackexchange.com/users/6065/user6065) in a comment above. I wanted to make it clear to others as well, it is discussed in detail [here](http://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/29812/):

The characters 女、火、长 ，丑 have a historical stroke order that differs from the current recommended order and are simply learnt.


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### Answer by username_4 on 2019-01-10. Score: 1

Just wanna say, it is not very important, as long as you keep the general rule: left to right, top to down.

It is OK however you write it!

> **Comments:**
> **username_5**: Chinese brushstroke order is important. To be fair, there is a set brushstroke order in English writing as well. Regardless of the language, the brushstroke order is there to ease production more efficiently.  

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