Browse meaningful Chinese characters for names — pronunciations, core meanings, radicals, stroke counts, and structure.
Tapir — refers to the tapir, a large herbivorous mammal with a
A kind of river deer, roe deer, or musk deer (genus Hydropotes; also used metaphorically for a timid or furtive person.
A type of ancient ape or monkey mentioned in classical texts; also appears in the name of a legendary creature.
Mastiff — a large, powerful breed of dog, especially the Tibetan Mastiff; refers to large, fierce dogs.
A mythical ferocious beast from ancient Chinese mythology; often depicted as a powerful, wild ox-like creature.
Ancient character meaning 'to bark' or 'howl'; variant of 嗥; also used in ancient texts.
Cui — used in the term 猥獕 (wěicuī), meaning wretched, despicable, or
Unruly, rampant, violent — describes something wild, unrestrained, or running out of
To collapse, fall; exhausted, worn out; corrupt, fraudulent
Fierce mythical beast; swift and agile creature; used in names to suggest speed and ferocity.
A small hunting dog breed; spaniel-type dog.
An ancient name for a type of animal, possibly a small mammal; also appears in historical texts as a name for a mythical creature.
A mythical dog-like creature mentioned in ancient texts; also refers to a healthy, robust dog with strong limbs.
fierce, wild; name of a malevolent spirit in Chinese mythology; describes unrestrained, violent behavior.
Zhuang — refers to the Zhuang ethnic group, one of China's largest
Fierce, wild, savage; describes animals or people with violent, untamed temperaments.
Fierce, savage; barbarian; to hunt at night
Fierce dog; wild beast; also used in ancient texts to describe ferocious animals.
A long-haired hunting dog; specifically refers to a type of hunting dog from the ancient state
Beast, animal, wild creature; specifically refers to wild animals or beasts of prey.
A rare character with uncertain meaning; appears in some historical texts and dictionaries but not in common modern
Cunning, sly, crafty; also refers to a type of wild animal or a legendary beast
Ancient character with multiple readings; primarily used in classical compounds, often related to hunting or animals.
Impetuous, rash, hasty; also refers to being cunning or crafty.
Alone; solitary; single
Used in the compound 獩貊 (Huìmò), the name of an ancient ethnic; archaic character with limited modern usage.
Cunning, crafty, sly, deceitful; describing someone who is clever in a deceptive or treacherous way.
Xian — refers to the Xianyun, an ancient nomadic tribe in northern; also used in the name of a dog breed (Xian dog).
Xie — refers to the mythical xiezhi (獬豸), a legendary creature in
Otter — a semiaquatic mammal with webbed feet and dense fur that; also refers to the sea otter.
To hunt in autumn; ancient term for autumn hunting or military exercises; to search for, to track down.
Xun — refers to the Xunyu, an ancient nomadic tribe in northern
Fierce, ferocious, savage; describes a menacing or terrifying appearance, especially in facial expressions.
A type of otter or aquatic mammal; also refers to a kind of pig.
To capture, obtain, acquire; to reap, harvest; to gain, win
Nòu — an ancient term referring to a ferocious dog; also appears in historical names.
Mongoose — a small carnivorous mammal known for hunting snakes and rodents.
hunt — to pursue and kill wild animals; to search for; to chase after
Náo — an ancient name for a type of monkey; to play with, to tease; also refers to a kind of dog.
Wild, rough, uncouth, fierce; describes untamed nature or rugged character.
beast, animal; wild, ferocious; refers to wild animals, especially large mammals
Ancient name for a hunting dog; a type of dog mentioned in classical Chinese texts.
Otter — a semiaquatic mammal known for its sleek fur and playful; also refers to the otter species found in East Asia.
To offer, present, dedicate, or contribute; to show or display; used in contexts of presenting gifts, showing respect, or making contributions.
Macaque — refers to various species of macaque monkeys, particularly the rhesus
Rang — an ancient ethnic group in China; also refers to a type of monkey or ape-like creature.
badger — refers to various species of badgers, particularly the Eurasian badger; also used in names of other badger-like animals.
Nao — an ancient Chinese term referring to a type of ape; also appears in classical texts as a name or in compound words.
Luo — refers to a kind of monkey; historically used in the term '猓猡' (Guǒluó) for certain ethnic groups in
Fierce, savage; refers to a fierce ancient tribe or barbarians; also used to describe something ferocious or wild.
A dog with long hair; a hairy dog; an ancient term for a specific type of canine.
A large, ape-like creature in Chinese mythology; a type of large monkey or gibbon mentioned in ancient texts.
Mysterious, profound, abstruse, deep; dark black; the color of the sky
Profound, subtle, mysterious, exquisite; an alternative form of 妙 meaning wonderful or marvelous.
This; here; now
rate; proportion; ratio
Black; dark; deep black color (archaic literary term).
Jade — a precious stone; beautiful; pure
A flawed or cracked piece of jade; a jade with imperfections; an ancient surname.
King; monarch; ruler
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.