
That is, without looking them up in a dictionary, just writing them as usual. In reality, this would probably be impossible under normal circumstances, but since I already know several hundred characters visually, along with their pronunciation and meaning (meaning I can read and type them on a keyboard), the process of memorizing these specific ones was much easier.
It certainly doesn't look great (especially the curved lines and the proportions of certain elements are difficult for me), but I don't even hope to learn to draw them beautifully. But knowing the order of the strokes will make it easier to remember more complex characters (since they are composite) that I haven't been able to master. Plus, it's quite a relaxing activity.
What wouldn't you do to overcome the language barrier with your beloved...?