Browse meaningful Chinese characters for names — pronunciations, core meanings, radicals, stroke counts, and structure.
Qing — an ancient term referring to the sound of metal or; also used in historical contexts for a type of carriage or vehicle.
High-quality steel, especially fine steel used for making weapons.
Ying — an ancient term referring to a type of bell or; also used in historical contexts for certain vessels or implements.
Ancient form of the character 鐀 (guì), meaning a cabinet, chest, or; also an archaic term for a certain type of container.
A component of ancient Chinese cooking vessels; refers to the legs or feet of a tripod cauldron (鼎足).
To insert a bolt or crossbar; to lock with a bolt; a bolt or latch mechanism.
Mirror; ancient bronze mirror; to reflect
To inspect; to examine; to reflect
Spear, lance; particularly refers to a Japanese spear (yari).
Cymbals — a percussion instrument consisting of two round brass plates that
Anvil — a heavy iron block used by blacksmiths as a surface; historically also refers to an executioner's block used for beheadings.
A small file; a type of fine file used for metalworking or woodworking.
Li — refers to a metal file or rasp; to file or polish metal; to sharpen
Lei — a decorative pattern or carving on a sword hilt; an ancient term for a type of jade decoration; also appears in some rare personal names.
Hard, rigid, unyielding; refers to something extremely hard or stiff; can describe stubbornness in character.
Drill, bore; penetrate; diamond
Ore — a naturally occurring solid material from which a metal or
A rare character meaning 'to look up; to raise one's head and look', primarily used in classical Chinese texts.
Asparagus fern; a type of plant in the asparagus family, specifically referring to the
Solder — a fusible metal alloy used to join metal surfaces; pewter (an alloy of tin with lead or other metals).
A small box or case, especially for holding seals; a container for valuables.
To melt; to smelt; to fuse
A rare character used in the term 鑡鑪 (chuò lú), referring to
File — a tool with a rough surface for smoothing or shaping; to file or polish; also used metaphorically for refining or improving.
Bit — the metal mouthpiece of a bridle; to part company; to go separate ways.
Violent, sudden, explosive; also refers to a type of waterfall or torrent.
Lutetium — a rare earth metallic element with atomic number 71, used
A character used in Cantonese dialect meaning 'to press down', 'to suppress',
A rare character with obscure meaning, possibly a variant or obscure form; appears in some historical texts and dictionaries but not in common modern
Ancient vessel; a type of large bronze container used in ancient China for holding
A rare character referring to a metal hook or a type of; also used in some historical texts.
Furnace, hearth, crucible — a device for containing fire and intense heat
Prosperous, wealthy — composed of three gold characters (金), symbolizing abundant wealth
Mirror — an ancient term for a mirror, typically made of bronze; also refers to reflection or inspection.
Lanthanum — a soft, malleable, silvery-white metallic element, the first element in
A large ancient bell; a type of large bronze bell used in ancient Chinese rituals and
Sharp point; awl; to pierce
Key — an instrument for locking and unlocking; crucial element or solution.
Chisel — a sharp-pointed tool for carving or cutting hard materials; to pierce; to stab
To inlay, set, mount, or embed; to insert something into another material for decoration or reinforcement.
Key; a key for a lock; also used metaphorically for something crucial or essential.
To engrave; to carve; an ancient term for a mirror or a type of tripod vessel
A jar; a pot; a can
A type of ancient bell; a sound of metal or jade objects clinking together.
Tweezers, forceps; to pick up with tweezers; to pluck or remove with precision.
Heap; mound; pile
A drill; to bore or pierce; to penetrate through.
A decorative hairpin or ornamental hair accessory worn in ancient China, often
Pan — a decorative ornament or adornment, often referring to elaborate decorations; also used as a surname.
Gong — a large, flat, circular metal percussion instrument that produces a
To drill, bore, or penetrate; to study intensively; to get into
Luan — refers to imperial carriage bells; a type of bell used in ancient Chinese imperial processions; by extension, imperial or royal.
Chisel — a tool for cutting or shaping hard materials; to chisel, to carve, to bore; certain, irrefutable.
Ancient bridle bit or horse bit; metal mouthpiece for controlling a horse.
A large mattock or pickaxe; a heavy digging tool with a broad blade perpendicular to the handle.
A type of ancient weapon similar to a long-handled spear or lance; also refers to a type of ancient lamp or candlestick.
An axe; a halberd; an ancient weapon or tool with a blade mounted on a long
Lanthanum — a metallic chemical element with symbol La and atomic number; a soft, malleable, silvery-white rare earth metal.
Gold radical — the simplified form of the metal radical 金, used
Gadolinium — a chemical element (symbol Gd, atomic number 64), a rare-earth
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.