Browse meaningful Chinese characters for names — pronunciations, core meanings, radicals, stroke counts, and structure.
A rare Chinese character referring to a type of bird, possibly a
An archaic character meaning 'phoenix', variant form of 鳳 (fèng).
A rare, archaic Chinese character referring to a type of bird; also appears in ancient texts as a variant form.
Seagull — a type of seabird, often associated with coastal environments and
A mythical bird, often mentioned in ancient Chinese texts and legends; sometimes used to refer to a type of sea bird or a
A wild goose; an ancient term for a type of goose, used in classical texts.
A legendary bird in ancient Chinese mythology; also used in some historical names.
Wagtail — a type of small bird; specifically refers to the wagtail family (Motacillidae).
A type of small bird, specifically referring to the wren or similar
A type of bird; also used in ancient texts to refer to the hoopoe bird.
Ostrich — refers to the large flightless bird native to Africa; also used in the name of the rhea (South American ostrich).
A mythical bird mentioned in ancient Chinese texts, said to resemble a
Kingfisher — a small to medium-sized brightly colored bird in the family
A term for a young eagle or falcon; also refers to a type of hawk or falcon with distinctive plumage.
A type of large bird, possibly referring to a crane or heron; archaic character rarely used in modern Chinese.
Wild goose; a type of large waterfowl, specifically referring to the swan goose in
Mandarin duck — a species of duck known for lifelong pair bonding; symbol of marital fidelity and love in Chinese culture.
A type of water bird, possibly referring to a kind of wild; archaic character rarely used in modern Chinese.
Myna bird — refers to various species of myna birds, particularly the
Owl — refers to various species of owls, particularly in classical Chinese; often associated with ominous or nocturnal symbolism.
owl; kite (bird of prey); in classical texts, refers to a type of hawk or owl, often
A legendary bird in Chinese mythology, said to herald the dawn; also used in classical texts to refer to a type of bird.
A type of osprey or fish hawk; also refers to a legendary bird in Chinese mythology.
A legendary bird in Chinese mythology; also refers to a type of fish-eating diving bird (possibly merganser).
Partridge — refers to the partridge bird, typically used in the names
A type of bird; a legendary bird in ancient Chinese mythology.
To fly swiftly; to dart suddenly (of birds); describes rapid, sudden flight.
Mandarin duck — a species of perching duck native to East Asia,; often symbolizes conjugal affection and fidelity in Chinese culture.
A rare character meaning a kind of bird, possibly a swift or; also appears in historical texts as an alternative form for 鴥.
Duck — a common waterfowl; also used metaphorically in various contexts.
A type of small bird; an ancient name for a swift-flying bird, possibly referring to a species
To fly swiftly; to dart or swoop (archaic/rare character).
Shigi — Japanese character for snipe (a type of wading bird); used in Japanese place names and personal names.
Japanese variant of 鶯 (warbler, nightingale); refers to the Japanese bush warbler or nightingale.
A type of bird; specifically refers to a woodpecker or similar bird species.
A type of wild duck or waterfowl; used in the name of a specific bird species.
Emu — refers to the emu bird, specifically the Australian ratite species
A kind of bird, specifically referring to the myna or sometimes used
A type of small bird; also refers to a female hawk or falcon.
A type of bird; also used in Japanese as a character for 'titmouse' or 'chickadee'.
A small bird, particularly referring to the quail or similar small birds; also used in classical Chinese literature.
Plover — a type of small to medium-sized shorebird in the family
A mythical bird in Chinese mythology, often mentioned in classical texts as
A type of bird, specifically referring to the myna or starling species; also used in the name for the hoopoe bird.
Woodpecker — refers to the bird species known for pecking wood; also appears in classical Chinese texts.
Zhu — a mythical bird from Chinese folklore, believed to be an
A legendary auspicious animal, often described as a sheep-like creature; appears in ancient Chinese texts as an omen of peace and prosperity.
A type of large bird, possibly referring to a sea eagle or; also appears in classical texts and place names.
Vast, grand; swan goose; great, immense
A rare character used in ancient texts, possibly a variant form or
A type of small bird, specifically a quail or field mouse in; also refers to a small rodent in some contexts.
Mou — an ancient term for a young calf; also used in the name of a bird, the 鴾母 (móu mǔ),
Dove, pigeon — a bird symbolizing peace, fidelity, and communication; often used metaphorically for gentleness and harmony.
A type of bird, specifically the hoopoe (Upupa epops), known for its
A type of water bird, specifically the night heron or a similar
Owl — specifically refers to owls, particularly small owl species; used in the name of the Brown Hawk-Owl.
Zhou — refers to a type of bird, specifically the cormorant or; also appears in classical Chinese texts.
A rare character meaning 'hawk' or 'eagle', used in historical and literary
A type of water bird, possibly referring to a heron or egret
Heron — a type of wading bird with long legs and neck,
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.