Browse meaningful Chinese characters for names — pronunciations, core meanings, radicals, stroke counts, and structure.
A character used in Japanese names, particularly in the surname 鵇川 (Nishikawa); not a standard Chinese character.
This character appears to be a rare or variant form with limited
Luan — a mythical bird in Chinese mythology, similar to a phoenix; often appears in pairs and symbolizes marital harmony and good fortune.
A type of bird, possibly a cuckoo or similar species; also used in ancient texts and names.
A character used in the name of a bird, specifically appearing in
A legendary bird that lives symbiotically with rats, sharing the same nest; mentioned in ancient Chinese texts as a mythical creature.
A mythical bird in Chinese folklore, sometimes associated with the phoenix or; also an archaic or variant character.
A type of bird, specifically referring to the toucan (family Ramphastidae).
A type of bird, specifically a bustard; also refers to a legendary bird in Chinese mythology.
Bunting — refers to small songbirds of the family Emberizidae, particularly various
Cuckoo — refers to the cuckoo bird, particularly in the context of
Myna bird — refers to various species of myna birds, particularly the
A kind of pigeon or dove; specifically refers to the turtledove.
A legendary bird in ancient Chinese mythology; also refers to a type of pheasant or ornamental headdress.
A legendary bird in Chinese mythology; variant form of 鵔 (jùn), referring to a mythical bird with colorful
A type of bird, specifically the hoopoe (Upupa epops); also used in ancient texts to refer to certain bird species.
A type of wild pheasant or partridge; a legendary bird mentioned in ancient Chinese texts.
A rare Chinese character with uncertain meaning, primarily found in historical texts
Shrike — refers to a type of predatory songbird in the family
Bald — refers to being hairless or bald, particularly describing a bald
A legendary bird in Chinese mythology, often depicted as a fierce or
Pelican — refers to the pelican bird, specifically used in the name
Goose — a large waterfowl with a long neck, domesticated for meat,; known for its loud honking and migratory behavior.
Goose — a large waterfowl with a long neck, domesticated for meat,; also refers to the wild species.
Buzzard — refers to a type of large bird of prey in
Swan — a large waterfowl; also refers to a target in archery; metaphorically means goal or aspiration.
Parrot — refers to the parrot bird, known for its ability to
A rare or archaic Chinese character, possibly a variant form or used
A rare, archaic Chinese character of uncertain meaning, possibly a variant form
A type of bird; specifically refers to a crossbill (bird with crossed mandibles); also used in some Japanese names.
A rare character used in Japanese place names, particularly in the name
A rare character referring to a type of bird; possibly a variant or archaic form with limited usage in modern Chinese.
A type of bird mentioned in ancient Chinese texts, possibly a kind
Shu — an ancient, rare character referring to a type of bird,
A type of ominous bird, believed to be an owl or similar; associated with death and misfortune.
Quail — a small, short-tailed game bird in the pheasant family, often
A type of pheasant or partridge; specifically refers to the copper pheasant (Syrmaticus soemmerringii) found in Japan.
Peng — a mythical giant bird in Chinese mythology, often translated as; symbolizes greatness, ambition, and soaring achievement.
Bird — a general term for birds; specifically refers to the magpie in some contexts.
To peck with the beak; to bite (as insects); to snap at.
Bulbul — refers to various species of songbirds in the family Pycnonotidae,
Eagle — a large bird of prey with powerful talons and keen; often used to symbolize strength, power, and sharp vision in Chinese culture.
A type of wild goose or swan; an ancient name for a specific bird species.
Magpie — a bird species known for its black and white plumage,
A type of hawk or falcon; specifically refers to the sparrow hawk or similar bird of prey in
A type of bird, specifically referring to the cuckoo or similar species.
A type of owl; specifically refers to the tufted owl in ancient Chinese texts.
Crow — refers to a crow or raven; archaic character for crow.
Yuān — a mythical phoenix-like bird in Chinese mythology, often associated with; one of the auspicious birds.
A mythical bird from Chinese mythology, said to have three heads and
Li — a rare character primarily used in the name of a
Nue — a legendary yōkai (monster) from Japanese mythology with the head; known for its terrifying cry and association with misfortune.
Turtledove — refers to a type of bird in the pigeon family,
Kong — a mythical bird in Japanese and Chinese folklore, often depicted
A type of bird, specifically a kind of dove or pigeon; also used in the name of a legendary bird in ancient texts.
Kun — a mythical bird in Chinese mythology, often associated with the; sometimes used in classical literature.
A rare character used in names, possibly a variant form or character
A type of wild goose or swan; a rare character referring to a specific bird species.
A type of bird, possibly a mythical or rare bird mentioned in; also used in the name of a place, Yiling (鶁陵).
A kind of water bird, possibly a tern or similar seabird; also used in ancient texts to refer to certain birds.
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.