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I recently tried to look up the kanji in the Kodansha Kanji Learner's Dictionary, which uses the SKIP method to look up each kanji, and I couldn't find it. It seemed to me a relatively straightforward kanji look-up using the SKIP method: It is clearly divided side-to-side (making the first digit '1'), and the number of strokes for the left hand side is 5 and the number for the right hand side is 4 (giving it a SKIP number 1-5-4). I tried every trick I know to find it and eventually did...under the wrong classification. The '4' and '5' have been reversed so that it is 1-4-5.

It's hard for me to think that this dictionary could be wrong, but I've counted the strokes so many times I don't see where I could be mistaken. I've searched around so see if any else has had the same trouble, but I can't find anyone. Does anyone know why it's been placed where it has? Am I missing something?

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closed as too localized by istrasci, Earthliŋ, Dono, cypher, Flaw Nov 3 '12 at 2:10


Hmm... jisho.org/kanji/details/%E6%95%85 故 is listed as 1-5-4 in jisho, but jisho.org/kanji/details/%E8%83%A1 胡 is 1-4-5. –  jkerian Dec 14 '11 at 22:15
Would you find it surprising if a book with a couple thousand characters in it had one single error in it? –  Matti Virkkunen Dec 17 '11 at 2:36

1 Answer 1

up vote 9 down vote accepted

Well, this is the first time I've heard of SKIP. But according to this wiki article, I think it is a mistake.

古 has 5 strokes and 月 has 4, so the SKIP for 胡 should be 1-5-4.

The stroke order listed in the link given by jkerian in the comment can also confirm this.

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That seems to be the consensus, I just wanted to ask around to see if I was missing something. Thanks Fefe :) –  silvermaple Dec 18 '11 at 15:25
