Browse meaningful Chinese characters for names — pronunciations, core meanings, radicals, stroke counts, and structure.
Yak — refers to the long-haired bovine species native to the Tibetan
This character is extremely rare and archaic. It appears to be a
A castrated bull; a bullock or steer.
A rare, archaic Chinese character with uncertain meaning; appears in ancient texts but not in modern usage.
Stubborn, obstinate, unyielding, headstrong — describes someone who refuses to change their
Sacrifice — to offer as a sacrifice; to give up something valuable for a cause; sacrificial victim.
Sick cattle; an ancient term referring to a disease affecting cattle.
calf — refers to a young cow or ox; by extension, something young or inexperienced.
A type of ox or cattle with a long tail; specifically refers to a breed of cattle known for its distinctive tail
A legendary short-legged ox or buffalo mentioned in ancient Chinese texts; a type of dwarf cattle.
A lean and thin cow; (archaic) a yellow and white colored ox; (archaic) a type of animal disease.
A legendary animal resembling a yak or ox with a long tail; also refers to a type of rhinoceros or fierce beast in ancient
sacrifice, victim; to offer as sacrifice; to give up for a higher purpose
Chou — an ancient place name; used in historical texts, particularly in reference to a location in the; also appears in the name of a person, Wang Chong (王犨).
A kind of large, wild yak or bison found in ancient China,
A large, strong ox or bull; specifically refers to a type of powerful cattle mentioned in ancient texts.
Chou — an extremely rare character meaning 'cattle panting' or 'ox breath'; archaic and obscure character with limited modern usage.
dog; canine; used in classical Chinese and formal contexts for 'dog'.
A radical form derived from the character 犬 (dog); used as the left-side component in characters related to animals, beasts, or
To pull up; to uproot; to pull out
to violate; to offend; to commit (a crime)
Used exclusively in the word 犰狳 (qiúyú), meaning armadillo.
An archaic character referring to a type of beast or wild animal; rarely used in modern Chinese.
A variant form of 豺, meaning jackal; wolf; cruel and fierce person.
A legendary beast resembling a leopard with markings like a map; archaic variant of 豹 (bào, leopard).
A legendary fierce dog; a wild dog; also refers to a prison (in ancient texts).
An archaic term referring to certain ethnic groups in ancient China, particularly; also used in historical names.
form, shape, appearance; condition, state; document, certificate
wild; fierce; rough
Mammoth — refers to the extinct elephant-like mammal; used in the word 'mammoth'.
like, as if; still, yet; a kind of monkey
A fierce dog; robust, strong; defiant
An archaic character describing the appearance of an animal walking; also used in some ancient texts.
A mythical beast in Chinese folklore, described as a powerful, dragon-like creature; sometimes depicted as a watchdog of heaven.
A legendary beast; a type of wild dog or wolf; used in ancient texts to refer to ferocious animals.
An archaic character referring to the appearance of two dogs confronting or; also used in ancient texts.
A variant form; refers to a ferocious, wild beast; also appears in classical texts.
form, shape, appearance; condition, state; to describe
An ancient name for a northern nomadic tribe; used primarily in the compound 猃狁.
mad; crazy; wild
To be accustomed to; to be habituated to; to persist in old habits
Ancient term for northern tribes; barbarian; a surname
A variant form of 狂 (kuáng), meaning mad, crazy, wild, unrestrained, or
A breed of dog; specifically refers to the Japanese Chin or Pekingese dog.
A rare character primarily found in the word 狇猭, describing the appearance
A legendary wolf-like animal with short forelegs that must rely on another; metaphorically describes being in a difficult or helpless situation.
Describes the appearance or sound of animals moving through grass or bushes; used in classical Chinese and certain compound words.
A rare Chinese character with obscure meaning, possibly referring to a type
A rare character describing the appearance of a dog showing its teeth; also an ancient place name.
A weasel or similar small mammal; an archaic term for a type of animal.
roe deer; a species of small deer native to Northeast Asia, known for its
to be overly familiar with; to treat lightly or disrespectfully; to be intimate in an improper manner.
An archaic character referring to a type of animal or beast; also used in ancient texts for certain animal names.
fox; a cunning or sly person; also appears in various idioms and expressions.
An ancient name for a type of dog; a kind of beast; archaic character rarely used in modern Chinese.
Baboon; refers to the primate animal known for its distinctive face and social
A rare character primarily used in the term 狓猖 (pī chāng), meaning
Used in the term 猗狔 (yī nǐ), describing something soft and pliable,
A legendary beast, possibly a type of leopard or wildcat; an ancient name for an animal.
A type of long-tailed monkey or gibbon found in ancient Chinese texts; a literary term for a kind of ape.
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.