Browse meaningful Chinese characters for names — pronunciations, core meanings, radicals, stroke counts, and structure.
A type of insect; specifically refers to a kind of beetle or grub.
A type of long-bodied crustacean or marine creature; archaic term for a kind of crab or shrimp.
Spiral; spiral shell; snail
Mole cricket — an insect of the family Gryllotalpidae that lives underground; also used metaphorically for common people or insignificant things.
Earthworm — a type of annelid worm that lives in soil and
Katydid; long-horned grasshopper; refers to insects of the family Tettigoniidae.
Earthworm; also refers to a type of insect or worm-like creature in classical
A type of cicada; specifically refers to the autumn cicada (寒螿).
Cricket — refers to the insect known for its chirping sound, often
Mosquito; archaic term for mosquito, now largely replaced by 蚊.
A legendary creature in Chinese mythology, described as a type of water
A type of dragon-like creature in Chinese mythology; also appears in ancient texts as a variant form.
To hibernate; to live in seclusion; to conceal oneself
Ground beetle; a type of insect, often used in traditional Chinese medicine.
Frog; toad; specifically refers to the frog in Chinese folklore, often associated with the
Toad — refers to a large, warty amphibian, specifically the toad, often
katydid; a type of grasshopper-like insect; cicada
Coiled, winding; refers to the appearance of a dragon or serpent coiling and twisting.
A pest that eats the roots of crops; a harmful insect; a destructive person.
cricket (insect); specifically refers to crickets in the family Gryllidae.
Damselfly — a slender insect similar to a dragonfly but typically resting
A character used in the word 螏蟍, referring to a type of
Mite — refers to tiny arachnids of the subclass Acari, including dust
A type of spider, specifically referring to the long-jawed spider or orb-weaver
Chang — a character used primarily in names, particularly in the compound
Cockroach — refers to various species of roaches, particularly the common household
Python; boa; a large, non-venomous constricting snake.
Silkworm — a caterpillar that spins silk; specifically refers to the larva of the silk moth.
A type of black insect; a black caterpillar; also used in some classical texts.
A type of sea turtle; specifically refers to the hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata).
Caterpillar — refers to the larval stage of butterflies and moths; often used in compound words for specific types of caterpillars.
A type of spider; an archaic character rarely used in modern Chinese.
A type of pest insect, specifically referring to a kind of planthopper
A type of moth; specifically refers to the moth family Noctuidae or similar insects.
A type of small crab; also refers to a legendary creature in Chinese mythology.
A type of small crab; specifically refers to the fiddler crab or similar small crustaceans.
A legendary figure in Chinese mythology, specifically the father of Nüwa; also refers to a type of insect or worm.
A variant form of the character 螶, referring to a type of
A type of soft-shelled turtle; also refers to a kind of sea turtle.
Used in the word '知了 (zhīliǎo)' for cicada; also appears in the name of a type of cicada '蛁蟟 (diāoliáo)'.
coiled; curled up; winding
A legendary creature in Chinese mythology; a type of water spirit or ghost.
A type of spider, specifically referring to the 'money spider' or 'lucky
Louse egg; nit — the egg of a head louse or body louse.
Curved, winding (archaic, rare); appears in the name 蜿蟤 (wān zhuān), describing a winding, coiling motion.
Leech — refers to a type of annelid worm, specifically the medicinal
A type of marine creature, possibly a sea slug or sea cucumber; also refers to a type of clam or oyster.
A type of large cicada; also refers to a kind of spider or a type of clam
A legendary one-legged beast in Chinese mythology; also refers to the jerboa (a small rodent).
A type of small marine creature, possibly referring to a species of; also used in some dialectal names for small aquatic animals.
cicada; specifically refers to a type of small cicada (Platypleura kaempferi) known for
Silverfish — a small, wingless insect that feeds on paper, book bindings,; also known as bookworm or fish moth.
Cicada — an insect known for its loud buzzing sound produced by; symbolizes rebirth, immortality, and the transient nature of life in Chinese culture.
A type of very small cicada or small insect; used in classical Chinese texts.
Earthworm; refers to various burrowing annelids, particularly the earthworm used in traditional Chinese
Pinworm — a type of parasitic intestinal worm (Enterobius vermicularis); also refers to something that curls or twists.
A type of small spider or arachnid; archaic term for certain small insects.
A type of mosquito or gnat; also refers to a small flying insect.
Insect; worm; bug
Xún — refers to a type of marine crab, specifically the flower
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.