Browse meaningful Chinese characters for names — pronunciations, core meanings, radicals, stroke counts, and structure.
bright, luminous, brilliant; to manifest, to display clearly
Flame; blaze; glow
Describes the appearance of flames or fire rising vigorously.
A flickering or shimmering appearance of flames; also used in ancient texts to describe the appearance of fire or
A measure word for incense sticks; the wick of an oil lamp; to burn incense.
to fry, to explode, to burst; refers to deep-frying food or detonation/explosion.
Point; dot; spot
Stoneware — a type of ceramic material fired at high temperatures, intermediate
To smelt, refine, temper; to train or practice rigorously.
blazing; flaming; ardent
A rare character referring to a bright, radiant light or brilliance; often used in classical texts to describe luminous phenomena.
An archaic or rare character referring to a type of torch or; also appears in some ancient texts.
To cook or simmer food slowly in a covered pot with a
Shine brightly; sparkle; glitter
rotten, decayed, worn-out; overcooked; bright, brilliant
Hydrocarbon — an organic compound consisting entirely of hydrogen and carbon atoms.
To burn, to roast; to torture by fire; ancient punishment method.
To blaze; to burn brightly; to shine
To set fire to; to burn; to kindle
To shine; to illuminate; to make bright
fierce, intense, violent, ardent; refers to blazing fire, strong emotions, or extreme intensity; also used for martyrs who died for a cause.
To burn; to set fire to; to illuminate
to smelt, to fuse metals; also used in the word for 'closed' (as in a shop).
Xiū — to rest, to cease; peaceful, tranquil; also used as a surname.
Ashes; dust; powder residue after burning.
To burn, to scorch; refers to the action of setting fire to grass or vegetation.
To shine; to glow; to be bright. In modern internet slang, it means to be competitive,
Crow, raven; black; dark
To burn, to blaze; refers to flames or fire.
Bright, shining; luminous; used in ancient texts to describe brilliance or radiance.
A flame burning brightly; to blaze; a type of fire.
An ancient type of stove or cooking tripod; also used in names.
Tong — refers to heat, warmth, or hot air; also used as a place name in ancient China.
to destroy; to extinguish; to perish
Disaster, calamity, catastrophe; misfortune; harm, damage.
Intense heat; blazing; brilliant
To bake; to roast; to warm by fire
To brand; to iron (clothes); to bake (in a pan)
To boil, to cook in boiling water; to scald; to blanch.
candle; to illuminate; to light up
Grand, majestic; brilliant, shining; to dry in the sun
to steam; to rise; numerous
Po — describes the sound or appearance of something cracking or bursting
smoke; mist; vapor
hui2 — bright, shining; to shine; to illuminate
Bright; shining; luminous
to crack; to split open; to break apart (archaic/obscure character)
Hui — refers to ashes, embers, or burned residue; also used in some classical texts to describe the state of being
A rare, obsolete character with uncertain meaning; sometimes used as a variant form or in historical texts with unclear
Annoyed, vexed, troubled; to bother, to trouble someone; tired of, fed up with.
burn; heat; cook
Brilliant; bright; glorious
to braise; to cook by simmering or stewing; a cooking method where ingredients are cooked in a thick sauce.
to scald; to burn; to heat
Cinder, ember, ashes — refers to the remains of something that has; residue after combustion.
Hot — refers to high temperature; fever; popular
Lie — ancient variant of 烈 (fierce, intense, ardent); also appears in historical texts with similar meaning.
Alkene — a class of unsaturated hydrocarbons in organic chemistry containing carbon-carbon
To steam; to cook by steaming; to rise (of steam)
Bright, shining, luminous; clear and distinct; used to describe eyes that are bright and piercing.
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.