Browse meaningful Chinese characters for names — pronunciations, core meanings, radicals, stroke counts, and structure.
An ancient wooden percussion instrument used in Chinese ritual music; to begin or start.
Cup, goblet; variant form of 杯 meaning cup or trophy; also used in ancient texts.
Persimmon; also refers to wood shavings or chips.
crutch; cane; walking stick
To investigate, examine, search, inquire; also used in Japanese surnames.
A rare character referring to a type of tree or wooden implement; meaning obscure.
Chinese tamarisk (Tamarix chinensis); a type of tree or shrub.
A type of wood; straight grain wood; used in Japanese names and place names.
Persimmon — a sweet, orange-red fruit from trees of the genus Diospyros; also refers to the persimmon tree itself.
Gardenia — refers to the gardenia plant and its fragrant white flowers; also used in traditional Chinese medicine.
Willow tree; variant form of 柳 (liǔ).
Japanese umbrella pine (Sciadopitys verticillata); also refers to a type of tree in Japanese contexts.
Japanese horse chestnut tree (Aesculus turbinata); a place name in Japan.
Glory, honor, splendor; to flourish, prosper; used in names to convey brilliance and success.
fence; palisade; railing
A variant form of the character 枣 (zǎo), meaning 'jujube', 'Chinese date'
mark, sign; standard; to mark
A warehouse, shed, or inn; a wooden structure for storage or lodging; in computing, a stack data structure.
comb; to comb (hair); to dress (hemp)
cage; window; window frame
ridgepole; main beam of a roof; classifier for buildings
Chinese smoke tree (Cotinus coggygria); also refers to the supporting block or bracket in traditional Chinese architecture.
A wooden marker or signpost; a wooden stake used for marking boundaries or as a guidepost.
Oak tree; also refers to the horse chestnut tree; used in place names.
Fence, railing, pen, enclosure; column (in newspapers/websites); a section or compartment.
A type of ancient tree, possibly referring to a specific wood used
Tree — a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, supporting; also used metaphorically for something established, stable, or foundational.
A type of tree; crosspiece or rail in traditional Chinese architecture; also used in ancient place names.
to fasten with a bolt; to tie; a bolt, latch, or plug
To carve; to engrave; to cut
A rare character, variant form of 桭 (chén), meaning 'eaves' or 'ridge
to perch; to roost; to dwell
Chestnut — a type of nut-bearing tree; trembling, fearful; a surname.
A type of tree, specifically the Chinese pearleaf crabapple (Malus asiatica); also refers to an official title in ancient China.
A crosspiece or crossbar used in ancient Chinese chariots; also refers to a type of wooden frame or support structure.
A wooden frame used for supporting silkworm cocoons during reeling; a tool in traditional sericulture.
A type of tree; used in ancient texts to describe a plant with intertwined branches.
An ancient term for a type of tree, possibly referring to a; obscure character rarely used in modern Chinese.
A wooden arrow; the end of an arrow; a type of juniper tree
wooden tablet; wooden slip used for writing in ancient times; to cut
A type of palm tree; also used in place names.
To bear fruit; to ripen; to mature
school; to check; to proofread
Cypress tree — an evergreen coniferous tree; variant form of 柏 (bǎi/bó), meaning cypress or cedar.
To defend, protect, or guard; to resist or ward off; to preserve or maintain.
Ice — refers to ice, frozen water, or something extremely cold; also used metaphorically for coldness or purity.
A type of wooden support or bracket used in traditional Chinese architecture; a rafter or beam support.
A type of tree; used in names and classical texts.
Oar, paddle — a tool used for rowing or propelling a boat
A wooden support or bracket; a type of architectural component in traditional Chinese buildings.
Vivid, lifelike — as in栩栩如生 (vivid and lifelike); refers to the Chinese cork oak tree (Quercus variabilis).
tree trunk; stump; plant
To enclose with stakes; to fence in; to block
A type of small, immature peach; also refers to something young or unripe.
A type of bracket or corbel in traditional Chinese architecture; also refers to a type of mushroom or fungus.
A type of edible fungus or mushroom, specifically referring to the Auricularia
A type of tree mentioned in ancient texts; possibly referring to a medicinal plant or a specific tree species.
raft — a flat floating structure made of wood or other buoyant
Bracket arm — a structural component in traditional Chinese architecture, specifically the
A type of evergreen tree in the beech family (Castanopsis fargesii); also refers to a basket made of bamboo strips.
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.