Browse meaningful Chinese characters for names — pronunciations, core meanings, radicals, stroke counts, and structure.
Vulgar, rustic, boorish; refers to someone from the northern regions of China (derogatory); crude, unrefined.
Chù — ancient term meaning depressed, melancholy, or gloomy; obscure character rarely used in modern Chinese.
Umbrella — a device used for protection against rain or sun, consisting
To prepare; to provide; to be equipped
To imitate, to follow an example, to model after someone or something.
To accommodate; to adapt; to pretend
Yao — refers to the Yao ethnic group in China; also used historically for forced labor or corvée.
Wretched, exhausted, tired appearance; also used in ancient texts to describe a state of collapse or
To stagger, to walk unsteadily, to sway from side to side; describes an unsteady, drunken gait.
Ang — variant form of 慠 (ào) meaning arrogant, haughty, proud; or variant of 仰 (yǎng) meaning to look up, to admire, to
To kill; to execute; to slay. (Note: This character is archaic and rarely used in modern
To share; to have in common; to participate jointly. (Note: This character is extremely rare and archaic, primarily
Home, household, family; refers to domestic settings and household items.
Dai — refers to the Dai ethnic group, one of China's 56; also refers to things related to Dai culture.
To load, to carry; to transport goods; cargo
Unconventional, free and easy, unrestrained; handsome, elegant; by chance, if.
An obscure character with uncertain meaning, possibly a variant or miswritten form
Attendant at a ceremony; usher; to receive guests
To store, to save; to reserve; to accumulate
Nuo — refers to ancient ritual ceremonies to exorcise evil spirits and; Nuo dance, Nuo opera, Nuo masks used in these rituals.
Can — a rare character meaning 'to participate, to join'; also used in names as a variant form.
Weary, tired, exhausted; to accumulate, pile up; dejected, dispirited.
To urge; to press; to hasten
Hire, employ; servant, hired laborer; ordinary, common
Zāo — to finish, to complete; to exhaust; to end
Hurried, busy, rushed — describes a state of being pressed for time
Ancient term meaning companion, associate, or to gather together; also an archaic variant of 朋 (friend).
Hurry, rush — to move quickly or in haste; also describes a hurried or bustling appearance.
Proud, arrogant, haughty; to be proud of, to boast; to despise, to look down on.
To transmit; to pass on; to spread
Hunchbacked; stooped; bent over
Debt — something, typically money, that is owed or due; an obligation to pay or repay something, especially money.
Qī — a surname; also an archaic variant of 戚 meaning relative, grief, or sorrow.
Wound, injury; to injure, to harm; to be distressed, grieved
Evil, wicked; malicious; cruel and fierce in appearance.
A rare character meaning 'to stand upright; to be straight; to be rigid'.
To be detained; to be held back; to be stranded
Foolish, silly, stupid; simple-minded; naive
A rare Chinese surname; archaic term possibly referring to a type of bird or animal.
Appearance of being frightened or terrified; used in classical Chinese to describe a state of fear or panic.
To incline; to lean; to collapse
Yan — an ancient place name; also used in personal names; a rare character with limited usage.
Extreme; excessive; to the utmost degree
A rustling sound; the sound of light footsteps or clothing moving.
Hunchbacked; stooped; bent
To prepare; to make ready; to arrange
Swift, light, nimble; also refers to being reckless or frivolous in classical texts.
Only; merely; just
Young — refers to a young person, youth, or being in an; also used in some dialects to mean fledgling or chick.
To insult, humiliate, or treat with contempt; also refers to being joined together or united.
Negligent — careless, negligent, disrespectful, rude; also refers to being unrestrained, indulgent.
All; everyone; unanimous
Immortal; celestial being; transcendent being in Taoist mythology
僋 — an obscure, archaic Chinese character with uncertain meaning; appears in ancient texts but rarely used in modern language.
To govern; to manage; to administer.
Work, labor — specifically refers to physical labor or work; used in Japanese and occasionally in Chinese contexts, particularly in reference to
To prepare food and drinks; to serve guests; a respectful term for a person of virtue or talent.
resemble, be like; image, portrait; such as, for example
To put on an appearance; to feign; to pretend
Overseas Chinese; emigrant; sojourner
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.