Chinese Character Library

Chinese Character Library — Meanings, Pronunciations & Radicals

Browse meaningful Chinese characters for names — pronunciations, core meanings, radicals, stroke counts, and structure.

To tread on; to trample; worn-out shoes

Radical 18 strokes
kuǐ

To stumble; to trip; to walk unsteadily.

Radical 18 strokes

Trace, vestige, footprint — refers to tracks, marks, or remnants left behind; often used metaphorically for historical traces or achievements.

Radical 18 strokes
zhí

Sole of the foot; to tread upon; historically, refers to a legendary rebel leader or bandit.

Radical 18 strokes
qiāng

To walk with a steady, rhythmic gait; to stride majestically; to march in step.

Radical 18 strokes

To pace back and forth; to hesitate; to tarry

Radical 18 strokes
pán

To limp; to stagger; to walk unsteadily

Radical 18 strokes
zōng

Track; footprint; trace

Radical 18 strokes
lián

To walk with difficulty; to hobble; to limp

Radical 17 strokes
bèng

To leap; to jump; to bounce

Radical 18 strokes
zāo

To trample, to waste, to spoil; to treat roughly or carelessly; to ruin or damage.

Radical 18 strokes
niǎn

To tread on; to trample; to walk on (archaic/obsolete character).

Radical 19 strokes
bié

to limp; to hobble; awkward

Radical 18 strokes
tuí

To fall down; to stumble and fall; to collapse.

Radical 19 strokes

To walk with difficulty; limping; hobbling

Radical 19 strokes
dēng

To step on; to tread; to pedal

Radical 19 strokes
cèng

to rub against; to scrape; to move slowly

Radical 19 strokes
xiān

To walk lightly and gracefully; to move with a light step; to dance.

Radical 19 strokes
fán

Paw — refers to the paw or foot of an animal, especially; also used in classical texts to refer to animal feet.

Radical 19 strokes
chú

To hesitate; to walk back and forth indecisively; to pace up and down.

Radical 19 strokes
zhōng

To walk unsteadily; to stagger; to limp

Radical 19 strokes
dūn

To squat; to crouch; to stay in one place without moving

Radical 19 strokes

To kick; to tread upon; to trample

Radical 19 strokes

To kick; to tread on; to step on

Radical 19 strokes

To kick; to tread on; to trample

Radical 19 strokes
jué

To stumble, fall; to fail, suffer a setback; to exhaust, use up

Radical 19 strokes
jué

To stumble; to trip and fall; to suffer a setback or failure.

Radical 19 strokes
lìn

To trample; to tread upon; to walk with difficulty

Radical 19 strokes

To tread on; to stamp; to trample

Radical 19 strokes
qiāo

To raise (foot/leg); to stand on tiptoe; to walk on stilts

Radical 19 strokes
juē

To raise one's feet high; to walk with difficulty; proud

Radical 19 strokes

Web — the webbed foot of aquatic animals like frogs, ducks, and; also refers to swimming fins or flippers.

Radical 19 strokes
liāo

To stride or walk quickly with long steps; to run away or flee; to sneak away.

Radical 19 strokes
dūn

To set down heavily; to thump or thud something down; to drop with a heavy impact.

Radical 19 strokes
蹿cuān

to leap upward; to jump; to spring

Radical 19 strokes
guàn

To stumble; to trip and fall; to make a mistake or blunder (Cantonese dialect).

Radical 18 strokes
zào

Restless, impetuous, rash, agitated; describes a state of mental or emotional unrest, often leading to hasty

Radical 20 strokes

To stumble; to trip; to fall

Radical 19 strokes

To limp; to walk with a limp or lameness; to hobble.

Radical 20 strokes

Lame; crippled; to limp

Radical 20 strokes
zhú

To pace back and forth; to hesitate; to linger

Radical 20 strokes

To squat or crouch; to perch; archaic term for positioning oneself in a low stance.

Radical 20 strokes
chú

To hesitate, to falter, to be irresolute; often used in the compound 踌躇 (chóuchú) meaning hesitant or to hesitate.

Radical 18 strokes
qiào

The rump or buttocks of an animal; specifically refers to the hindquarters of a horse or livestock.

Radical 20 strokes
dǔn

Wholesale — refers to buying or selling in bulk quantities; also used to mean 'all at once' or 'in one go'.

Radical 19 strokes
chóu

To hesitate; to waver; to pace back and forth

Radical 21 strokes

To ascend; to rise; to climb up

Radical 21 strokes

To pace back and forth; to strut proudly; to walk with measured steps.

Radical 21 strokes
yuè

To leap; to jump; to spring

Radical 21 strokes
niǎn

To walk carefully, to tread lightly; to walk in a dignified manner.

Radical 21 strokes
lìn

Trample — to crush underfoot; to oppress; to treat with cruelty and contempt.

Radical 21 strokes
liè

To step over; to exceed proper limits; to skip over steps or ranks

Radical 22 strokes
zhí

To pace back and forth, to hesitate, to linger; to walk around in circles.

Radical 21 strokes

To move actively; to walk about; nimble, agile

Radical 22 strokes
zhì

To stumble; to trip; to encounter obstacles or setbacks

Radical 22 strokes
chán

To move along a path; the orbit or path of celestial bodies; to tread or walk

Radical 22 strokes
chú

To hesitate; to pace back and forth; to linger

Radical 22 strokes
duàn

A rare, archaic Chinese character with limited usage, primarily found in ancient

Radical 22 strokes
wèi

To exaggerate; to fabricate; to make false claims

Radical 22 strokes
lóng

To walk with a dignified, steady gait; to stride majestically.

Radical 23 strokes

Characters for Chinese names — FAQ

Practical guidance for evaluating characters by radical, stroke balance, and cultural resonance.

How do radicals help when choosing characters?

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.

What’s a good stroke range for name characters?

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.

Do characters have gender?

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.