Browse meaningful Chinese characters for names — pronunciations, core meanings, radicals, stroke counts, and structure.
A type of ancient Chinese tree, possibly referring to a specific fruit-bearing; also used in classical texts.
Shuttle — a weaving tool that moves back and forth; to move back and forth rapidly.
A carrying pole or yoke for transporting loads; a type of ancient footwear with spikes for walking on ice or
Ladder; stairs; steps
Tool, instrument, weapon; mechanical device; implements
Bundle; a tied package or parcel; a measure word for bundles of goods
Small pillar; short post; joist
Comb — a toothed implement for arranging or cleaning hair; to comb or dress hair.
Long timber; long piece of wood; extended, prolonged.
Brahman — refers to the ultimate reality in Hinduism; Buddhist; Sanskrit
Oar, paddle; also used as a Japanese surname.
Jing — a character used in names, meaning 'still', 'quiet', 'serene'.
An ancient term for a type of handle, possibly referring to a; also appears in some historical texts as a variant form.
Betel nut — the areca nut, often chewed as a stimulant; also refers to the areca palm tree.
Japanese kokuji (国字) character meaning 'base of a tree; foot of a mountain', primarily used in Japanese place names.
Buddhist — a character used in Japanese Buddhism, specifically referring to Buddhist
A legendary fierce beast in ancient Chinese mythology; also refers to a type of wood or tree; used in names to imply strength or wildness.
Zhi — used primarily in place names, most notably in 梽木山 (Zhimushan),
Chinese horse chestnut (Aesculus chinensis); a type of tree native to China.
To bind or connect; a type of tree (Sorbus); used in the term for lotus root (莲藕 lián'ǒu) in some contexts.
To inspect; to examine; to check
Rafter — a structural beam or rafter in traditional Chinese architecture; also refers to a small beam or joist.
Lattice — refers to window lattice, latticework, or grille; specifically the carved or patterned lattice in traditional Chinese architecture.
An archaic/variant form of 梨 (lí), meaning pear; pear tree.
To abandon, discard, forsake, give up, renounce; to throw away, cast aside; to reject.
Handle of a steelyard; authority; power
A type of camphor tree; a small tree with aromatic wood used in traditional medicine and woodworking.
A type of pointed tip on a carrying pole; also an ancient term for a type of spear or pointed implement.
A type of hardwood tree; also used in ancient texts to describe a type of wood used
Cotton — refers to the cotton plant, cotton fiber, or cotton cloth.
An ancient term for a chessboard or the game of chess/Go; variant form of 棋 (qí).
Chess; any board game, especially games like Go (围棋) or Chinese chess (象棋).
A type of tree; specifically referring to the Chinese catalpa or similar hardwood tree; used in ancient texts for timber.
stick; rod; club
An ancient type of fruit tree mentioned in classical Chinese texts; also appears in some place names.
Mulberry tree; a type of ancient tree mentioned in classical texts; also used in some place names.
Supporting railing or fence; originally referring to a protective railing; also used to mean 'assist' or 'aid'
Raft — a flat floating structure used for transportation on water; also refers to a row or line of objects arranged side by
Stick, rod, club; excellent, awesome, strong; to hit with a stick.
A club or cudgel; a type of weapon; also refers to a unit of measurement in chemistry (pH)
Hun — refers to the silk tree (Albizia julibrissin), a deciduous tree
Brown — a color resembling that of wood or earth; also refers to the palm tree.
To prop up; to support; to touch
Jujube — refers to the jujube tree (Ziziphus jujuba) and its fruit,; also used metaphorically for something red or early.
thorn; thorny bushes; brambles
Lì — a wooden gear or cog; a mechanism; also refers to a type of fruit tree (similar to a plum
Shed — a simple roofed structure, often open-sided, used for storage, shelter,; also refers to a scaffolding or framework.
A shuttle used in weaving; a component of a loom that carries the weft thread back and
A type of ancient Chinese sacrificial table or stand without legs, used
A type of ancient vessel or container; used in historical texts to refer to specific types of containers.
A type of tree; a wooden instrument used in ancient times.
Ridgepole — the main beam supporting a roof; also used metaphorically for a pillar or mainstay of society.
Crabapple tree — specifically refers to the Chinese flowering crabapple (Malus spectabilis); also used in place names and personal names.
A type of oak tree (Quercus serrata); also used in historical place names.
A variant form of 網 (wǎng), meaning 'net', 'network', or 'web'.
Kerria — refers to the Kerria japonica plant (also called Japanese rose); also used in classical Chinese for 'younger brother' or in the name
Rough bark; tree with coarse, peeling bark; also used in some place names.
Fence; enclosure; barrier made of wood or bamboo.
A type of tree; also used in ancient texts to describe a dense or lush appearance
Stack — refers to a warehouse, storehouse, or inn; also used in computing for stack data structure; can refer to a trestle or framework.
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.