Browse meaningful Chinese characters for names — pronunciations, core meanings, radicals, stroke counts, and structure.
A fine, delicate gold; a type of ancient coin; used in names to imply fineness, delicacy, or preciousness.
Button — a small fastener used on clothing; also refers to a knob or stud.
Bracelet — a decorative band or chain worn around the wrist or
Zǐ — an ancient, rare Chinese character meaning 'good iron' or 'fine
Vanadium — a chemical element (symbol V, atomic number 23); a hard, silvery-gray, ductile transition metal.
A type of ancient vessel or bowl; also refers to a monk's alms bowl in Buddhist context.
Hua — a hoe or farming tool; also used as a surname.
Soldering iron; welding rod; to weld or solder
Gang — refers to a metal tire or ferrule; a socket or hub (as in a wheel); an oil lamp or lantern
Ancient variant form of 鋤 (chú), meaning 'hoe' or 'to hoe/weed'; also used as a variant of 齬 (yǔ) meaning 'uneven teeth' or
Sharp point of a weapon; tip of a blade; also used in names for sharpness or excellence.
A blunted or dull sword; also used as a variant form for 'blade' or 'sword' in certain
Fetters, shackles for the feet; an iron ring or metal cap placed on the hooves of a; historically, a type of punishment involving leg irons.
Sì — an ancient term for gold; also refers to a type of metal or alloy in historical contexts.
Xi — an ancient term for metal fittings on horse-drawn carriages, particularly; also refers to ancient metal arrowheads.
Yttrium — a chemical element (symbol Y, atomic number 39), a silvery-metallic
Hairpin — an ornamental hair accessory, typically for women, often made of; historically used to secure hair in traditional Chinese hairstyles.
A type of ancient vessel or container, often made of metal; also used as an alternative form for other characters.
Thorium — a radioactive metallic chemical element with symbol Th and atomic
Xi — an obscure character referring to silicon (chemical element Si), primarily
Neodymium — a chemical element with symbol Nd and atomic number 60; a rare-earth metal used in magnets, lasers, and electronics.
A rare character referring to a type of arrow or arrowhead; also appears in ancient texts.
Sword, blade; an ancient unit of weight equal to 20 taels; variant of 劍 (sword).
To split, to break open; a crack, a fissure; also an ancient term for a type of sword or blade.
Yá — ancient name for a chemical element, now identified as arsenic; also refers to a type of ancient weapon or tool.
Axe; an ancient tool for chopping wood; also an ancient unit of weight.
Palladium — a rare, silvery-white transition metal element (symbol Pd, atomic number; also refers to a rake-like farm tool.
Francium (Fr) — a radioactive chemical element; also refers to a square-mouthed wine vessel in ancient China.
A tool for digging earth; a type of spade or shovel; also used in some ancient texts.
Xing — an ancient type of vessel or drinking utensil; also a historical surname.
Dǒu — a Chinese surname; also refers to a wine dipper or ladle.
Yue — an ancient term for a key or lock; also used in names.
Lead — an archaic or variant form of the character for lead
Axe — an ancient Chinese weapon or tool resembling a broad axe; also refers to a ceremonial axe used in ancient punishments.
Plutonium — a radioactive metallic chemical element with symbol Pu and atomic
Sodium — a soft, silvery-white, highly reactive metallic element (Na), essential for
Xin — an ancient or rare character referring to the center or; also used in names and classical texts.
To file or grind down; to alter; to remove corners or edges
Jue — to lack; to be deficient; to be missing
Dull; blunt; slow-witted
A type of ancient bronze vessel; a kind of metal implement or tool.
Seal; stamp; to seal
Sheet metal; metal plate; thin metal sheet used in manufacturing and construction.
Spear; a type of ancient weapon; also refers to a short spear or lance used in historical Chinese
Decorative, ornamental; to adorn, embellish; refers to decorative patterns or embellishments.
Banknote, paper money; to copy, to plagiarize; to grab, to snatch
Button — refers to a button on clothing; a knob; a switch
A type of ancient spear or lance; an ancient weapon.
Ancient vessel or tripod with three legs; also refers to a type of ancient cooking vessel.
To collect money; to gather funds; an ancient term referring to the action of collecting or gathering resources,
Pi — an ancient type of arrow with a broad, flat head; also refers to a type of metal.
Ancient weapon; a type of spear or halberd used in ancient China; also used as a unit of measurement for gold/silver.
Hong — the sound of metal striking or clanging; used in names to convey strength, solidity, or a resonant quality.
Yin — a rare character, historically used in names and possibly as
Jun — a unit of weight in ancient China (approx. 30 jin/15; an honorific term for a respected person, especially in official or literary; also used in names to convey dignity and importance.
An ancient variant form of 釣 (diào), meaning 'to fish with a; also used in historical texts.
An ancient type of spear or lance; a historical weapon.
Bell — an ancient Chinese bell, typically bronze, used in rituals and; also refers to timekeeping devices like clocks.
An ancient form of the character 璽, meaning 'seal' or 'stamp', particularly
A rare character in modern Chinese, primarily used in chemical contexts as; also appears in some Japanese place names.
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.