| Initial Strokes Type | Character |
|---|---|
| Horizontal |  |
| Left Slanting Curve |  |
| Vertical |  |
| Dot |  |
The total number of strokes is first found, then the initial stroke type is noted. The character can be looked up using these two pieces of information. The following show four types of stroke which can appear as the first stroke type of any character.
| Initial Strokes Type | Character |
|---|---|
| Horizontal | |
| Left Slanting Curve | |
| Vertical | |
| Dot | |
The total number of strokes can also use the Kangxi radicals as an indexing method in some dictionaries, rather than the four basic stroke types above.