Browse meaningful Chinese characters for names — pronunciations, core meanings, radicals, stroke counts, and structure.
To curl upwards (of smoke); to wind around; elegant, graceful
Ying — refers to a type of burial garment or shroud used; also used to describe something that wraps around or covers.
Diaper; swaddling clothes; a cloth used to wrap an infant.
To lift or raise (clothing, a curtain); to roll up; to pull up (trousers, sleeves).
To conceal, to hide; to carry in the bosom; archaic form of 懷 (huái, to cherish, to harbor in mind).
A pouch, bag, or wallet worn at the girdle; a money belt or purse.
Ragged, tattered, shabby; refers to torn or worn-out clothing.
bridal veil; bridal headdress; ceremonial wedding headdress worn by ancient Chinese brides.
Fold, pleat, crease — refers to folds in fabric or skin, especially
Disheveled, untidy — used to describe messy or ruffled feathers, particularly in
Tattered, ragged — describes worn-out, shabby clothing; often used in the compound 褴褛 (lánlǚ) meaning 'in rags'.
A variant form of the character 袂 (mèi), meaning sleeve; also appears as a variant of 褭 (niǎo), meaning to tie or
Layered clothing; multiple layers of garments worn together.
to profane, to blaspheme; to treat with disrespect; obscene, vulgar, indecent
A type of ancient Chinese garment or robe; also used in the name of a legendary immortal, Wang Ziqiao (王子乔),
To press down; to iron (clothes); to smooth out with an iron
Border, edge, or mounting of a scroll or book; to wrap or encase; also refers to the edge of clothing.
Cáo — an ancient term for a type of ceremonial garment or; also refers to a kind of coarse silk fabric used in ancient
Pleat, fold, tuck — refers to the folds or pleats in clothing,
Swaddling clothes; cloth used to carry an infant on one's back; a burden or load.
Sparse, scattered; refers to something hanging down or in disarray, often used in classical
To praise; to commend; to honor. Also used as an ancient variant form of 褒 (bāo)
Xiang — to assist, to help; to accomplish; to rise
A type of apron or decorative cloth worn over traditional Japanese clothing,
A cloth wrapper or bundle; a turban; a ceremonial headdress worn by officials in ancient China
Pleat, fold, crease — refers to the folds in fabric, particularly in
Ornamental border or trim on clothing, particularly on the edges of sleeves; decorative edging on garments.
Pleat, fold (in clothing); specifically refers to the pleats in traditional garments like skirts or robes.
To gather, collect; to pick up; a small gathering or collection.
Collar of a garment; the neckline or collar part of clothing.
Unlined garment; single-layer clothing without lining or padding.
Mixed, miscellaneous, blended; variant form of 雜 (zá), meaning mixed or assorted.
A carrying strap or band used for holding objects; historically used in ancient Chinese clothing accessories.
Straw raincoat — a traditional Chinese raincoat made of straw, palm fiber,
To adorn, to dress up, to decorate; refers to ornate dressing or embellishment.
Wide or loose garment; refers to clothing with broad sleeves or a loose fit.
To flick away; to brush off; to swing or swish (as of clothing).
A scabbard or sheath for a sword or blade; also refers to the wrapping or binding on a bow.
An archaic character referring to a type of clothing or garment, particularly
Lán — a type of traditional Chinese upper garment; specifically refers to a scholar's robe or gown worn during the Ming
Ao — refers to a lined coat or jacket, typically a thick
Undergarment; inner clothing; specifically refers to ancient-style underpants or undergarments.
The lapel or collar of a garment; specifically refers to the meeting point of the lapels in traditional Chinese
Clothing; garments; attire (archaic character, rarely used in modern Chinese).
Burial clothes; funeral garments; to present clothes to the deceased as part of funeral rites.
Luxuriant, abundant, thick (of clothing or vegetation); refers to lush growth or rich attire.
Chān — refers to the front of a garment; specifically the lower front part of a robe or gown that hangs; also used in classical texts to describe neat and proper attire.
To draw together the front of a garment; to arrange one's clothes properly.
Fold; pleat; crease
Lapel; front of a garment; collar
Crotch — the part of trousers or pants where the legs join; also refers to the area between the legs.
Short coat; sleeveless garment; ancient term for a long, deep robe.
Unadorned; plain; simple
Knee-length underpants or shorts worn in ancient China; a type of traditional Chinese undergarment.
Ragged, shabby, tattered — describes worn-out clothing or poor condition.
A variant form of 襆, meaning a cloth wrapper or bundle; a headscarf or turban; refers to simple, rustic clothing.
Ru — a short jacket or upper garment worn in ancient China; specifically refers to a type of traditional Chinese clothing.
Unlined garment; unlined clothing; plain clothes without inner lining.
An obscure, rarely used character in Chinese with uncertain meaning and usage.
A coarse, unlined garment; simple clothing worn by common people in ancient times.
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.