Browse meaningful Chinese characters for names — pronunciations, core meanings, radicals, stroke counts, and structure.
A type of plant or weed; refers to a specific kind of vegetation, possibly with entwining or climbing
Flower, blossom; also used metaphorically to describe something beautiful, outstanding, or extraordinary.
A type of thorny plant or bramble; also an ancient variant form of the character 薊 (thistle).
Gourd — refers to the bottle gourd or calabash plant; often used in compound words.
To bury, inter; funeral, burial; to discard or end something.
Reed — refers to the common reed plant (Phragmites australis); also used poetically to refer to close relatives in classical Chinese.
A type of plant, specifically referring to the hibiscus or lotus flower; used in classical Chinese texts and poetry.
Medicine, drug, remedy; specifically refers to traditional Chinese medicine or herbal medicine.
Large, grand; luxuriant growth of plants; also used historically as a personal name.
Scallion; green onion; spring onion
Quán — a type of aquatic plant; an archaic term for a certain plant species.
Luxuriant; flourishing; lush (of vegetation)
A type of plant, possibly referring to a medicinal herb; also used in ancient place names.
Sunflower — a flowering plant that turns toward the sun; also refers to certain plants in the Malvaceae family; metaphorically represents adoration, loyalty, and brightness.
Ting — refers to the plant 'Draba nemorosa' (葶苈); used primarily in botanical contexts and traditional Chinese medicine.
Meat or strong-smelling vegetables (like garlic, onions); refers to non-vegetarian food or pungent ingredients in Chinese cuisine.
Fearful, timid; hesitant, overcautious; to be afraid.
Sida plant — a type of mallow plant; in classical Chinese, used metaphorically for something common or worthless.
To repair, mend, or thatch (a roof); to patch up; to renovate.
A type of grass that sways in the wind; describes the appearance of plants moving in the breeze.
Small branch, twig; thin; sparse
A type of plant (possibly referring to a kind of weed or; lush, flourishing vegetation; in ancient texts, used to describe plants in their prime.
withered; faded; decayed (of plants or flowers)
Mei — an obscure character referring to a type of plant or; primarily used in classical texts and botanical contexts.
Yun — a type of fragrant plant; also used in names to convey a sense of fragrance and elegance.
A type of fragrant plant, possibly referring to a specific aromatic herb; also used in ancient place names.
The base or stem of a fruit or flower; peduncle; by extension, the root or cause of something.
Zhuàn — an elegant, decorative script used in Chinese calligraphy, particularly for; also refers to beautiful handwriting.
A type of aromatic plant; used in the name 'cardamom' (豆蔻); also appears in some personal names.
Indigo dye; a historical term for a type of blue dye made from plants,
A rare Chinese character used in personal names; meaning unclear but appears in historical records.
To complete; to finish; to accomplish (a task).
Carane — an organic compound name; a type of chemical substance used in perfumery and flavoring.
Kuì — a type of basket made of straw or wicker, used; also a surname.
Jiang — a common Chinese surname; also refers to a type of aquatic plant (Zizania latifolia, wild rice
Artemisia — refers to plants of the genus Artemisia, particularly Chinese mugwort; used in traditional medicine and cuisine.
A type of plant; also used as a surname in ancient China.
Pa — a character primarily used in the transcription of foreign words,
A rare character with uncertain meaning, possibly related to medicinal herbs or; appears in some ancient texts and dictionaries.
To search for; to gather; to collect
An ancient term for a type of vessel or container, possibly a; also appears in historical texts and names.
A type of plant, possibly referring to a specific grass or herb; also a surname.
Water shield — an aquatic plant (Brasenia schreberi) with edible gelatinous leaves
To transplant, plant, cultivate; to sow; also refers to a type of plant.
Aromatic herb; refers to a type of fragrant plant, specifically the Ligularia plant.
True seed of the lotus; specifically refers to the lotus seed, especially the genuine or core seed
Làng — used exclusively in the place name Ninglang (宁蒗), referring to
A type of plant, possibly referring to a kind of herb or; obscure character rarely used in modern Chinese.
To cover; to deceive; ignorant
A type of plant; also refers to a type of aquatic plant; used in ancient texts.
A type of small fern or plant; also used in the name of a medicinal herb.
Garlic — an edible bulb with a strong, pungent flavor used widely; also refers to plants of the Allium family.
A type of plant, possibly referring to a specific herb or grass; also used in ancient texts for certain plants.
To arrive; to be present; to attend (an event)
A type of plant; specifically refers to the betel pepper plant (Piper betle), whose leaves are
A type of edible plant; specifically refers to the shepherd's purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris) in Chinese botany.
Burdock — refers to plants of the genus Arctium, especially greater burdock
A type of medicinal plant, specifically referring to a kind of reed
A type of medicinal plant; also an old character for 'xu'.
Tu — a type of plant, possibly referring to a specific herb; also used in ancient texts as a plant name.
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.