Learn about the different kinds of Chinese characters. There are six types: pictures, sound loans, meaning-meaning compounds, symbols, sound-meaning compounds and re-clarified compounds.
Memorize and practice writing the proper stroke order of Chinese writing. General rules for strokes include: top strokes before bottom strokes; horizontal strokes before vertical strokes, when two cross each other; central strokes before two side strokes, known as the "wings"; left-slanting strokes before right-slanting strokes; go left to right; top left to bottom right; and outside to inside, finishing the inside before closing the outside, if the outside has a border.
Study how a Chinese character is put together; radicals are the basic characters from which all other characters are formed, via radical combinations. Traditional Chinese writing has 214 radicals, while the number of radicals found in the simplified form of writing depends on the dictionary maker, though it tends to be about 200 radicals.
Memorize the radicals of the Chinese writing system, making sure to pace your learning based on your memory's ability. Make flashcards and place sticky notes on various items with the Chinese character, or characters, corresponding to their names. Mentally draw the characters for things you see throughout the day, such as when you're at work, going to the drive-through or walking in the park.
Find the current list of characters deemed most necessary to learn. One of these lists is the Hanyu Shuiping Cihui Yu Hanzi Dengji Dagang. Memorize a certain amount of characters from this list every day.
Learn the basic grammatical rules of the Chinese language in which you want to read and write. The standard form of Chinese in mainland China is Mandarin, which is based on the Mandarin dialect found in the Beijing area. Another form, Cantonese, is spoken in the south of China. Practice writing sentences with the Chinese characters you have learned.
Practice reading comprehension by looking at Chinese newspapers and websites and visiting Asian grocery stores.