Browse meaningful Chinese characters for names — pronunciations, core meanings, radicals, stroke counts, and structure.
A coarse bamboo mat; used in ancient times for covering or spreading.
A type of bamboo used for making mats or baskets; also refers to a reed-like plant.
A large bamboo frame used for reeling silk from cocoons; a silk-reeling device.
A utensil for straining wine or liquor; a bamboo strainer used in traditional Chinese winemaking to filter fermented grains.
Pole — a long bamboo pole used for propelling boats, especially in
A round, shallow bamboo basket used for holding silk, ceremonial offerings, or
A type of bamboo with large leaves used for wrapping food, especially; also refers to the leaves of this bamboo.
Zheng — an ancient cooking vessel; a type of steamer used in traditional Chinese cooking.
bonfire; campfire; a cage or basket for containing fire
An ancient type of bamboo flute; a specific kind of musical instrument used in ancient China.
A type of slender bamboo; also used historically as a personal name.
Slender bamboo; thin bamboo; a type of small bamboo used for arrows, writing slips, or musical
to usurp — to seize power or position wrongfully, especially by force; to alter or falsify for fraudulent purposes.
A type of bamboo hat; a bamboo container or basket; also used in place names, notably in Guangdong province.
A type of bamboo; a bamboo basket or container; historically, a bamboo instrument used for punishment or torture.
Sincere, earnest, profound; serious (illness); to concentrate, to focus
A reed instrument; specifically refers to the bili (筚篥), a Chinese double-reed woodwind instrument.
A fine-toothed comb, especially one used for removing lice or for combing; historically used as a hair ornament.
Zhuo — a type of bamboo fishing trap or weir used in
Coarse bamboo mat; refers to reed mats used in ancient times, particularly mentioned in classical
To sift, to sieve, to filter; to select or screen carefully; a sieve or screen.
Chi — an ancient Chinese bamboo flute with a unique tone; also used in classical texts and names.
A rare character referring to a type of ancient bamboo flute or; to play such an instrument.
Cāng — refers to a type of bamboo; also appears in historical texts describing bamboo varieties.
Cage, basket; to cage, to confine; to cover, to envelop
Basket — a container made of woven materials such as bamboo, rattan,; also refers to the basket in basketball.
Jian — an ancient surname; also refers to a type of bamboo; a surname of legendary longevity expert Peng Zu.
Bù — a bamboo basket or container; historically used for storing documents or books; also a surname.
fence, hedge, bamboo fence; barrier or enclosure made of bamboo or other materials
Broom — a broom made of bamboo twigs; also refers to a comet in classical texts.
Wicker; a coarse bamboo used for weaving baskets, fences, etc.; also refers to something crude or makeshift.
A type of ancient Chinese bamboo flute; also refers to a bamboo pipe used for signaling or as a
A rare Chinese character with an unclear meaning, possibly related to bamboo
A type of dark-colored bamboo; refers to black bamboo or purple bamboo.
Awning, sail, covering — refers to a covering made of matting, canvas,
Decorative hairpin; to insert or adorn; also refers to uneven or irregular appearance.
To compile; to edit; to collect and arrange writings
Raft — a flat floating structure made of logs, bamboo, or other
A type of tall bamboo with thin walls, used for making arrows,; also refers to a bamboo grove.
A deep bamboo basket or container used for carrying things, typically on; a type of sedan chair used in mountainous regions.
Imperial garden; royal park; enclosure for keeping animals
Bamboo strip; thin bamboo sliver used for weaving; bamboo skin
To divine using stalks; a type of bamboo used for divination; also refers to a round bamboo container.
Mat — a woven mat made of bamboo strips, typically used for; also refers to a type of bamboo bed or matting.
To sift; to sieve; to filter
An ancient woman's headdress or hair ornament; a type of ceremonial headpiece worn by women in ancient China.
Pavilion or annex attached to a main building; a side chamber or study, often used in classical Chinese architecture.
A type of bamboo fishing weir or trap used in ancient China,
An ancient type of bamboo flute or pipe, used in classical Chinese
A shuttle used in weaving; specifically refers to the part of a loom that carries the weft
Cluster; bunch; measure word for bunched objects
A type of bamboo screen or sieve used for sifting or filtering; a fine bamboo mat.
Deputy, secondary; to serve as a deputy; to assemble
A type of bamboo basket or container used for holding or carrying
Gui — an ancient Chinese ritual bronze vessel used for holding cooked
rustling sound; to fall down or scatter down (as leaves, tears); also refers to a type of ancient bamboo flute.
Basket — a container typically made of bamboo or wicker, used for
A type of fishing spear or harpoon; to fish with a spear; to catch fish.
A bamboo box or hamper; a small bamboo basket or chest used for storing items, especially books
A rare Chinese character with uncertain meaning, possibly related to a type
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.