Browse meaningful Chinese characters for names — pronunciations, core meanings, radicals, stroke counts, and structure.
to curl up; to huddle; to crouch
To kick; to strike with the foot; to play (football/soccer).
to fall down; to stumble and fall; to collapse
To collide against; to strike; to butt
To walk in a light, quick manner; to walk with small steps.
To lean on one leg; to limp; to be uneven
Wary, cautious; respectful; uneasy
Footprint, track, trace — an archaic character meaning footprint or track, now
To step on; to tread; to trample
Trace, footprint, track — refers to marks or evidence left behind by
To touch; to bump; to collide
To stumble; to trip; to be obstructed or hindered
Heel — refers to the heel of the foot; also used in Cantonese for the elbow.
To stand on tiptoe; to tip-toe; to walk on the balls of the feet.
To pace back and forth; to hesitate; to walk to and fro.
To exceed; to go beyond; to cross over
To pace slowly, to stroll, to walk with measured steps, often implying
To hesitate; to waver; to be indecisive
To be contradictory; to be in conflict; to be inconsistent
To leap; to jump; to spring
Heel; to follow in someone's footsteps; to call personally at
To kick; to tread on; to strike with the hoof (of horses, etc.).
Zhe — a rare Chinese character with limited usage, primarily appearing in
To walk alone; to walk unsteadily or stagger; used in the compound word 踸踔 meaning to limp or hobble.
To kick forcefully with the sole of the foot; to tread heavily; to trample.
Jian — refers to a tendon or ligament; used primarily in the word 踺子 (jian4zi), a gymnastics movement.
To trample, to tread on; to walk or step on something.
To kick; to strike with the foot.
To walk alone; solitary; describes a person walking in solitude.
To tread heavily; to stamp the feet; to trample.
To tread on; to step on; to walk upon
To tread or walk with small steps; to walk lightly or mincingly; to pace back and forth.
To walk with a light, elegant gait; to walk gracefully; to walk with a swaying motion.
To trample; to tread on; to oppress
To trample, to tread on; to step firmly; to press down with the foot.
Hoof — the horny part of the foot of ungulate mammals such
To tread on; to trample; to walk through mud or water.
Leg — refers to the leg or thigh; the lower limb of the human body.
lame, crippled; difficult, hard; slow-moving
To tread on; to step on; to follow
To waste time; to slip; to make a mistake
Path — a small path or trail; way or method; also used in idioms meaning to investigate or find a way.
To tread on; to trample; to stamp
To stagger; to walk unsteadily; to lurch
To tread on; to trample; to crush underfoot
To stumble; to trip and fall; to stagger
Hoof — the horny part of the foot of an ungulate animal,
To walk in small, careful steps; to tread cautiously or timidly.
To tread lightly; to walk on tiptoe; to follow stealthily
To limp; to walk unsteadily; to stagger
To stroll; to saunter; to walk leisurely
Temporarily; for a short time; brief
To clear the way for an emperor; imperial procession; to guard the road for a royal procession.
To trample, to tread upon; to step on or crush underfoot.
To walk; to tread; a step or pace (archaic/rare usage).
To tread or stamp with the feet; to trample; to step on firmly.
to knit (one's brows); to frown; cramped
to wade through; to tread through water, mud, or difficult terrain; to experience or go through something challenging.
To tread; to step on; to trample
To walk carefully with small, cautious steps; to tread cautiously.
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.