Hangul Stroke Order
Three rules cover every letter
Top before bottom
The top horizontal of ㄷ comes before the stroke that closes it underneath.
Left before right
ㅁ starts with its left wall, then the top and right side, then the base.
Horizontal before vertical
Where strokes cross, the flat one is drawn first. This is what keeps ㅍ square.
The numbers on each diagram are the writing order. Every letter is straight lines except ㅇ, which is one counter-clockwise circle.
The 14 consonants
Learn consonantsThe 10 basic vowels
Learn vowelsThe 11 compound vowels
The five tense consonants
Common questions
Does stroke order matter in Korean?
Less than in Chinese or Japanese, but it is not arbitrary. Written in the right order the letters come out the right proportions, and handwriting stays legible at speed. It also matters for handwriting recognition on a phone, which is trained on correct order.
What are the rules for Hangul stroke order?
Three, and they cover every letter: top before bottom, left before right, and horizontal before vertical when strokes cross. Every diagram on this page follows from those.
How do I write ㅇ?
One stroke, counter-clockwise, starting at the top. It is the only curve in the alphabet — everything else is straight lines.
Should I learn to write Hangul by hand at all?
Yes, at least once per letter. Hangul letters are distinguished by small differences — ㄱ against ㅋ, ㅁ against ㅂ, ㅅ against ㅈ — and drawing each one is the fastest way to stop confusing them when reading. Beyond that first pass, typing is what you will actually do.