Can anyone explain to me why the stroke order is different for the “Narwhal” radical in 右 and 左? i.e. the first two strokes of each kanji are swapped in order, despite being the same radical.
Is it so hand-written kanji are easier to decipher when handwriting is sloppy?
Is it just something to make the kanji “feel” more like the opposites that they are?
Because 口 starts with a downward stroke, which comes more naturally after a horizontal stroke, and 工 starts with a horizontal stroke, which comes more naturally after a vertical stroke. Same reason the “narwhal” in 布 ends with the horizontal stroke, it has to do with keeping the flow of writing.
There is a question for that on SE:
Either it was really a left or right hand in the ancestor kanji, or different arms/hands, or what sigolino is saying, (or several reasons at the same time).
Yeah, I’m not absolutely sure of what I said either, but I remember reading about it somewhere.
If the stroke order really applies all the time it is a really good reason, I don’t think that you will always find a left hand in their ancestors for example. And it actually helps you to figure out what to use.
That’s a nice way to remember that, thanks!
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