Browse meaningful Chinese characters for names — pronunciations, core meanings, radicals, stroke counts, and structure.
Rafter — a structural beam or purlin in traditional Chinese architecture that; also refers to branches or firewood in ancient texts.
Yun — a rare character referring to wood grain patterns; also used in names and poetic contexts.
A variant form of the character 舜, referring to the legendary sage-king; also used in some personal names.
A wooden support or stand; a variant form used in certain contexts, possibly archaic or dialectal.
To prop up; to support; to brace
Tang — an ancient term referring to a type of tree or; also appears in classical texts as a plant name.
Ancient name for a type of tree; archaic character rarely used in modern Chinese.
Orange — refers to the orange fruit (Citrus reticulata); also used to describe the orange color.
Orange — refers to the orange fruit; the color orange; also used in words for orange trees and orange-colored items.
Tall and upright (of trees); rustling sound of trees in the wind.
A short wooden stake or peg; a stump; a short piece of wood used as a stopper or support.
Wooden stake; peg; post
A type of tree (Diospyros spp., related to persimmon); also used in ancient texts for a type of wood used in
Hui — refers to the tassel or panicle of grains like rice; the drooping flower cluster of certain plants.
Machine; mechanism; opportunity
Slender and drooping appearance of tree branches; gracefully pendulous.
Oak — refers to oak trees; also used for rubber tree and rubber.
Ellipse; oval; elliptical shape
A rare, archaic Chinese character with uncertain meaning, possibly related to trees; primarily found in historical texts and classical dictionaries.
Flower stamen; pistil; the reproductive part of a flower
Zhu — a wooden stake or post; a peg; used in classical Chinese texts, now rare in modern usage.
Ancient term for a type of tree (possibly Bombax ceiba or kapok); also refers to wooden poles or masts; used in some historical and poetic contexts.
A primitive dwelling or hut built in trees; nest-like structure used by ancient peoples.
A rare character with uncertain meaning; possibly a variant form or obscure character with limited usage in historical
A type of tree (Ziziphus jujuba); to dye; to burn
Horizontal; across; lateral
A type of ancient tree; an old or withered tree; also used in ancient texts to describe something old or enduring.
Withered tree; dry, dead wood; a tree that has died from old age or decay.
A variant form of 柳 (liǔ), meaning willow tree; also appears in some historical texts and names.
A type of ancient agricultural tool used for tilling soil; specifically refers to a large rake or harrow.
Gao — a well-sweep; a counterbalanced lever for drawing water from a well, also known as
Cabinet, wardrobe, closet — a piece of furniture with doors and shelves
Japanese character for keyaki (zelkova tree); used in Japanese place names and surnames.
Japanese character used in place names, specifically referring to a type of
Purple — a color term; also used in Buddhist contexts and place names.
A wooden peg or wedge used in construction; a supporting beam in traditional architecture.
A variant form of 戟 (jǐ), referring to an ancient Chinese pole; also used in some names.
A rare Chinese character with uncertain meaning, possibly related to a type; obscure and not in common use.
Japanese kokuji character meaning 'glass' or 'crystal', primarily used in Japanese contexts.
Scull — a type of oar used for sculling, especially a large; also refers to a shield in ancient times.
A large tree; also used in Japanese place names and as a proper noun element.
A Korean reading of the character 橻 (chu), used in Korean place; in Japanese, it can represent the character 柌 (cí) meaning 'a type
Citron — refers to the citron fruit (Citrus medica); also used in the name of the Chinese medicinal herb 香橼 (Citrus
A wooden support or prop; a wooden implement used for support or leverage.
An ancient term referring to the hub of a wheel; also used in classical texts for a type of tree or wooden
A type of evergreen oak tree (Quercus spp.); historically used for making carts, tools, and charcoal; also refers to sturdy, hard wood.
Sandalwood — a type of fragrant hardwood tree; also refers to purple sandalwood; used metaphorically for something precious or elegant.
Purlin — a horizontal beam in a roof structure that supports the
A type of tree; ancient name for a specific tree species (archaic usage).
A tool for straightening wood; a wood-bending frame; also used in the term 檃栝 (yǐnkuò) meaning to correct or amend
A written proclamation, call to arms, or official dispatch; a formal declaration or denunciation, often used in military or official contexts.
Obsolete variant form of 秽 (huì), meaning: filthy, dirty, unclean; immoral, obscene; weeds, rank growth.
Ancient variant form of 杉, referring to the Chinese fir tree (Cunninghamia
Ancient place name; specifically refers to Zuili, a location in modern-day Jiaxing, Zhejiang province, where
A round tray or stand, typically made of wood; a circular wooden platform or table.
Tamarix chinensis — a type of tamarisk or salt cedar tree; used in botanical names and classical Chinese texts.
A large piece of wood; a log; a trunk
A type of ancient footwear with wooden soles, similar to clogs or
A character that appears in ancient texts, possibly a variant form or; meaning uncertain but may relate to trees or wooden structures.
Yi — refers to a type of tree, specifically the Ilex or
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.