Browse meaningful Chinese characters for names — pronunciations, core meanings, radicals, stroke counts, and structure.
Oar, scull; long oar used for steering a boat; also refers to a tree trunk or post.
Leaf; thin piece of wood or bamboo; a surname
Leaf, foliage; lush vegetation; flourishing growth (archaic variant of 枼, which is itself an ancient form
Persimmon — a sweet, orange-red fruit from trees of the genus Diospyros; also refers to the persimmon tree itself.
stump; sprout from a stump; regrowth after cutting
A type of tree; to split; to break apart
rudder; helm; large beam or girder supporting a roof
rudder; helm; to steer
Eurya — a genus of evergreen shrubs or small trees in the
handle; stem; authority
A type of tree; a brake or obstruction; to stop or restrain.
Bent or broken tree; a type of tree; to press down or restrain
A type of tree or wood; ancient usage for a kind of tree or possibly a variant form.
A large plate or tray; also refers to a type of tree (Betula platyphylla, white birch).
An ancient name for a type of tree; also refers to a wooden tool or implement.
Holly olive (Osmanthus heterophyllus); also used in Japanese names and terms.
A surname; an ancient Chinese family name.
A type of tree; an ancient term for a coffin.
rafters; beams; to pretend
The calyx or base of a flower; a raft or support; to attach or bind.
Cypress tree; cedar; a surname
Certain; some; a particular unspecified person or thing
Citrus fruit, especially mandarin orange or tangerine; also refers to citrus trees.
Seven — the financial or formal form of the numeral seven; used in official documents, checks, and financial contexts to prevent fraud.
To dye; to stain; to catch (a disease)
soft; flexible; gentle
A variant form of 茂 (mào), meaning lush, luxuriant, or flourishing; primarily used in classical texts.
A type of tree; (archaic) a kind of wood used to make utensils; to shake.
Pine tree — an evergreen coniferous tree with needle-like leaves; represents longevity, steadfastness, and resilience in Chinese culture.
Cudrania tricuspidata — a type of mulberry tree (柘树); historically used for making yellow dye and as a material for bows; also a place name.
Cage, pen, enclosure for containing animals (especially tigers); also refers to a case or box for holding valuable items.
Pomelo — a large citrus fruit native to Southeast Asia; also refers to the pomelo tree (Citrus maxima).
A type of tree; an archaic term.
Cabinet; cupboard; wardrobe
To beat a wooden clapper; night watchman's clapper; to crack or split.
Oak tree; specifically refers to various species of oak trees, particularly the Mongolian oak; also used in place names.
Chinese cedar; Chinese juniper; a type of fragrant wood used in ancient times.
Lemon — refers to the lemon fruit or the lemon tree; commonly used in words related to citrus fruits.
A variant form of 柄, meaning handle, stem, authority; also appears in some historical texts and names.
root; foundation; base
Threshold, sill — the base or bottom part of a door frame; also refers to a boundary or limit.
A type of thorny tree; a fence or palisade; used in ancient place names
To investigate, examine, check; to look up, search; also used as a surname.
A type of ancient wooden table or stand; a simple, low wooden platform or furniture piece.
Corner; angle; edge
A type of tree or wood; an ancient term for a wooden implement or tool.
bier — a coffin or casket containing a corpse; a funeral carriage.
A type of tree; to bend or twist wood; to make something curved by applying force.
A tool used for threshing grain; an ancient agricultural implement.
To select, choose; a card, note, or letter; used in classical Chinese for 'select' or 'choose'.
To pull out; to uproot; to remove
A short piece of wood; a stump; a block of wood
Axe handle; stalk; used in surnames
crabapple tree; a type of fruit tree; an ancient term for a kind of apple
pillar, post, column; to support; a person or thing that serves as a main support.
Handle of a weapon, particularly an ancient spear or halberd; also refers to a type of bamboo.
Willow tree; a common surname in China; slender and graceful like willow branches.
firewood; brushwood; faggot
Fence, palisade, stockade, barrier; refers to a structure made of stakes or bars for enclosure or
A ladle or spoon-like utensil used in ancient Chinese rituals, particularly for
Practical guidance for evaluating characters by radical, stroke balance, and cultural resonance.
Radicals group characters by their core semantic or structural elements. When you filter by radical, you surface characters that share meaning cues and writing patterns, making it easier to shortlist options with aligned symbolism.
Most parents stay within 6–16 strokes so signatures remain elegant and readable. Avoid extremes—overly complex forms slow writing, while ultra-simple characters may feel plain next to a more expressive partner character.
Chinese characters themselves are largely gender-neutral. Perceived gender comes from imagery and cultural associations, so review meanings and radicals together to find characters that match the tone you want.