Browse meaningful Chinese characters for names — pronunciations, core meanings, radicals, stroke counts, and structure.
A phonetic character used in the transliteration of foreign words, particularly in
no; not; negative
A modal particle indicating suggestion, request, or assumption; also used to form tag questions; can mean 'bar' (from English loanword).
ton — a unit of weight equal to 1,000 kilograms (metric ton); used in measurement and logistics.
To command; to order; used primarily in the compound word '吩咐' (fēnfu) meaning 'to instruct' or
to move; to change; to influence
to hold in the mouth; to contain; to cherish (feelings)
to listen; to hear; to obey
Throat; to utter a sound; to speak out.
To suck; to lick; to sip
To open; to start; to initiate
A loud, resonant sound; used in classical Chinese to describe the sound of bells or thunder.
To squeak; to creak; onomatopoeia for the sound of small animals or objects.
Used in the chemical term 'indole' (吲哚); also appears in the term 吲哚美辛 (indomethacin, a medication).
Wu — a surname; name of ancient states and kingdoms in Chinese history, particularly in the; also refers to the Wu Chinese language/dialect group.
Wu — a surname; name of ancient states and kingdoms in Chinese history, notably the Wu; also used in historical contexts.
to quarrel; to make a noise; noisy
To shout, to yell; to stammer, to stutter; variant of 呐.
To blow; to make a sound like blowing; a small sound
to inhale; to breathe in; to absorb
to blow; to puff; to play wind instruments
To speak carelessly or recklessly; to chatter thoughtlessly; to slander or defame.
kiss; lips; to kiss
to roar; to shout; to howl
A sacred syllable in Buddhism, especially in mantras; also used as an onomatopoeia for the sound of a bull.
I, me, my, our; classical Chinese first-person pronoun; also used in names.
To tell, inform, announce; to report; to sue, accuse
An interjection expressing surprise, admiration, or realization; also used as a sentence-final particle in colloquial speech.
A rare character meaning to recite, to chant; also used in names.
A pitch-pipe; a musical note; a surname
hiccup; belch; interjection expressing surprise or hesitation.
Wealth; riches; abundant possessions (archaic character).
An archaic or variant form of 吻 (wěn), meaning 'to kiss' or; also an old form for 文 (wén), meaning 'writing', 'language', 'culture'.
stupid, foolish, dull; blank, expressionless; to stay
A variant form of 啓 (qǐ), meaning 'to open', 'to start', 'to; also used in some dialects.
to present, to submit, to show, to assume (a form), memorial (to
Wu — ancient Chinese state during the Spring and Autumn period; Japanese surname and character variant.
to tell; to inform; to announce
furan (a heterocyclic organic compound); used in chemical terminology.
To call; to shout; to cry
An onomatopoeic character representing a loud sound, especially a humming or buzzing; variant form of 轟 (hōng, to rumble, explode).
Foot (unit of length); also used as an alternative character for 尺.
An ancient unit of volume measurement; also used as a variant form for certain characters.
to shout; to cry out; used as a final particle in some dialects
To swallow, to gulp down; to annex, to take over; to endure, to bear.
Not comprehending; bewildered; unclear
To talk in one's sleep; to utter nonsense or delirious speech.
An exclamation or interjection used to get someone's attention, often translated as; also used to express surprise or emphasis.
to vomit; to retch; to feel nauseated
Onomatopoeia for the sound of birds singing clearly and melodiously; also used to describe the sound of wind or flowing water.
A modal particle used at the end of sentences to indicate obviousness,; also used in Buddhist chanting.
Member, personnel, employee; a person engaged in some field of activity; also used as a measure word for capable people.
A surname; also used as a phonetic component in characters; sometimes refers to a crooked mouth.
A rare character with obscure meaning, possibly related to breath or sound.
To choke; to irritate the throat (as by smoke or pungent fumes); to eat or drink too quickly causing discomfort.
Onomatopoeia for sounds like crying, sobbing, whistles, or sirens; to sob or wail.
To choke; to hiccup; an archaic term for a hiccup or belch.
To chew the cud; to ruminate (as cattle do).
To murmur; to mutter; to make indistinct sounds
To puff, to blow out smoke or air from the mouth; onomatopoeia for a puffing sound.
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.