Browse meaningful Chinese characters for names — pronunciations, core meanings, radicals, stroke counts, and structure.
A type of ancient Chinese sword or dagger; also refers to a sharp, pointed implement or tool.
To cut with a hay cutter; to chop; a kind of guillotine or heavy blade used for cutting fodder or
A vessel or container; an ancient term for a type of vessel or container used in
A decorative piece on a horse's forehead; a type of ornament or metal plate used in ancient times.
To forge; to smith; to work metal
Hammer — refers to a blacksmith's hammer; used in words related to forging and metalworking.
A decorative jade pendant or ornament; also used in the name of a place in ancient China (鍝琿).
Ancient — refers to something old, ancient, or antique; used in classical contexts to denote antiquity or venerable age.
Rust — a reddish or yellowish-brown coating formed on iron or steel
Huang — the sound of bells or other metallic instruments; a large, ancient bell; a type of ancient weapon
Wei — an ancient term referring to a type of ancient Chinese; also used in historical names and places.
A type of ancient Chinese cooking vessel or cauldron with a round
Tip of a weapon; point of a blade; sharp edge of a tool.
Spade — an ancient digging tool similar to a shovel; also refers to a type of surgical instrument used in traditional Chinese
To carve; to engrave; to chisel
Spear — an ancient weapon with a long shaft and pointed metal; also refers to a type of lance or javelin used in historical
A loud, resonant sound, especially the sound of bells, gongs, or thunder; used in classical Chinese to describe sonorous reverberations.
Ancient weapon — refers to a type of spear or halberd used; also known as 戣.
Nobelium — a synthetic chemical element with symbol No and atomic number; also used in some place names.
Ancient bronze cooking vessel; helmet, particularly an ancient military helmet.
Spade; shovel; a type of digging tool with a broad blade and long handle.
Spade — a digging tool with a broad metal blade and a
Arrow; ancient term for an arrow with a metal head; also refers to sound of arrows flying.
A type of brass or yellow copper; an alloy of copper and zinc used in ancient times.
A rare character with unclear meaning, possibly an ancient weapon or tool; variant form of 鏓.
Huan — an ancient unit of weight, equivalent to six liang; also refers to a monetary unit in ancient China.
thin plate or sheet of metal; metal foil; thin iron plate.
Ancient unit of currency; a monetary unit used in ancient China.
Jian — an archaic variant form of 鑑/鉴, meaning to inspect, examine,; also refers to a mirror or looking glass.
Duan — an ancient Chinese vessel used for drinking wine; a rare character primarily found in classical texts and names.
Key — a metal implement used for locking and unlocking; a crucial element or factor; in music, a key on a keyboard instrument.
Strontium — a soft, silver-white metallic chemical element (symbol Sr, atomic number
Surname — an ancient, rare Chinese surname with limited historical documentation.
Hu — an ancient Chinese surname; also refers to a type of ancient vessel or container.
Xuan — refers to a type of ancient cooking vessel or cauldron; also used in some proper names.
Germanium — a chemical element with symbol Ge and atomic number 32; a lustrous, hard, grayish-white metalloid in the carbon group.
An ancient type of jade ornament or jade-like stone, used in historical
Needle — a slender pointed implement used for sewing, medical procedures, or; also refers to acupuncture needles.
An ancient term for a type of metal vessel or container, possibly; also refers to a type of ancient coin.
Bell — refers to a metal bell, timepiece, or clock; also used as a surname; to concentrate or focus attention.
Ancient unit of weight equal to six taels; also an ancient term for a small amount of money.
Xiū — an archaic term for fine metal, particularly referring to polished; also appears in some ancient texts.
A type of sword or blade; variant form of 鋣, used in the name of the legendary sword
Pai — a rare character primarily used in place names and personal; also an archaic variant form.
Einsteinium — a synthetic radioactive metallic element in the actinide series, atomic
Cantonese character meaning to cut, to saw, to slit; specifically refers to cutting or sawing actions, particularly in glass or sheet
A rare character with uncertain meaning, possibly a variant form or obscure
Americium — a synthetic radioactive metallic element with atomic number 95, produced
Cuō — refers to gold; gold dust; fine gold
Horse bit; a metal piece used in a horse's mouth as part of the
Pound — refers to the British pound sterling currency unit; also used historically for a unit of weight.
Axle-pin; linchpin — a metal pin inserted through the end of an axle; by extension, control, jurisdiction, or authority.
Sickle — a curved blade used for cutting crops, particularly grain; also refers to a type of weapon or tool with a curved
Chain; iron chain; to wind around
Xi — ancient term for a cooking vessel or cauldron; also used in historical contexts.
Gilding — refers to the process of gilding with gold; also used to describe something that is golden or glittering like gold.
Yao — a surname; also an ancient place name.
Yè — an ancient Chinese character referring to a type of metal; also used as a surname in ancient times.
Weeding hoe; to weed; to remove weeds
Wēng — refers to a type of onium ion in chemistry, specifically
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.