Browse meaningful Chinese characters for names — pronunciations, core meanings, radicals, stroke counts, and structure.
A thumb ring used in archery, typically made of leather, bone, or
Bullet, projectile; to shoot, to spring; to play (a stringed instrument)
Jian — archaic character meaning a strong bow; to stretch a bow fully; also used as a surname.
Target of an arrow; to draw a bow to the full; to reach the limit
Ge — a rare, archaic character with uncertain meaning, primarily found in
To issue, to send out, to emit; to develop, to expand; to express, to manifest.
To shoot with a bow; to draw a bow fully; an ancient term for archery.
A ring on a bow used for drawing the string; an archer's thumb ring; also refers to a finger ring or something shaped like a ring.
A Japanese-specific character variant of 剪 (jiǎn), meaning 'to cut with scissors; to trim; to shear'.
awkward; uncomfortable; difficult
Shaft of an arrow; the part of an arrow to which the feathers are attached.
To shoot; to spring; to bounce
Bowstring; to draw a bow to the full; to stretch
Strong, powerful; robust; to strengthen
The sound of a bowstring; also used as a surname.
To fill; to cover; to be full
To draw a bow to the full; taut, fully stretched; swift, rapid
Bend, curve, flex; to make something curved; winding, meandering
To swiftly draw a bow; to shoot an arrow quickly; refers to rapid archery action.
Pig's head; snout; a radical component in Chinese characters, often representing the head of a
Pig's head character component; radical form used in characters related to pigs or animals.
to return; to go back; to give back
to serve as; to be; to act as
To carve wood; an ancient character representing the act of carving or engraving; the original form of 錄 (record, inscribe).
To record; to copy; to write down
to judge, to decide; a pig; refers to the judgment or decision in the I Ching (Book of
broom; comet; to sweep
Pig; swine; specifically refers to domestic pigs or hogs, often used in classical Chinese
To gather; to collect; to assemble
Yi — an ancient bronze ritual vessel; a type of ancient Chinese wine vessel; also used to mean 'constant', 'regular', 'proper', 'righteous'.
Yi — ancient bronze ritual vessel; proper, constant, regular; Yi people (ethnic group in China)
Yi — ancient bronze ritual vessel; constant, regular, normal; Yi people (ethnic group in China)
To measure; to estimate; a unit of measurement in ancient China
To measure; to gauge; to standardize
Bristle; beard; hair
form, shape, appearance; to manifest, to describe; to compare
Literary or artistic talent; colorful patterns; elegant writing or decoration.
Red, vermilion; used in names to signify beauty, brightness, and auspiciousness.
Yan — refers to a person of talent, virtue, and outstanding ability; often used in names to denote scholarly excellence and moral character.
A person of virtue and ability; a talented scholar; an accomplished individual.
Cultured, refined, elegant; having literary or artistic taste; used to describe someone with sophisticated manners or intellectual refinement.
Ornamental — refers to decorative patterns or embellishments; an archaic term for beautiful adornment.
Color; variegated; colorful
Biao — refers to a young tiger; also means strong, vigorous, or imposing in appearance; used to describe someone with a powerful physique or heroic demeanor.
carve, engrave, decorate; to adorn with patterns or designs; to depict or portray through carving.
Bīn — refined, cultured, elegant; having both literary quality and polite manners; used in describing a person of good character and education.
Peng — a Chinese surname; sound of drumming; also refers to a powerful, majestic appearance.
Yong — an ancient Chinese surname; also refers to a type of headdress or ornament worn in ancient
To flutter; to float in the air; to drift
To manifest; to display; to make evident
Shadow — refers to a shadow, reflection, image, silhouette, or trace; also used in photography and film contexts.
Chi — a legendary beast resembling a yellow dragon without horns; used in classical Chinese literature and names.
Step with the left foot; the radical form meaning to walk slowly or take small steps; often used as a semantic component in characters related to movement, paths,
A single-plank bridge; a small bridge made of a single log or plank.
An archaic character meaning 'graceful and easy', 'leisurely' (archaic usage).
To hurry; to hasten; to rush (archaic usage).
to seem; to be like; to wander
Anxious; restless; agitated
military service; labor; servant
To go; to proceed; to move forward (archaic usage).
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.