三
sān three
3 strokes
Where the shape comes from
Three strokes, the middle one shortest and the bottom one longest. That difference in length is what makes it look balanced.
Write it
Watch the order first, then trace it with the guide, then write it from memory. The model comes back over your strokes so you can see where the shape drifted.
Press Watch to see the stroke order.
Stroke order from Make Me a Hanzi via Hanzi Writer, Arphic Public License.
Three words that use it
三十sānshíthirty
星期三xīngqīsānWednesday
三明治sānmíngzhìsandwich
Watch out
The mistake people make
Writing all three strokes the same length. The bottom one is the longest.