Chinese Character Library

Chinese Character Library — Meanings, Pronunciations & Radicals

Browse meaningful Chinese characters for names — pronunciations, core meanings, radicals, stroke counts, and structure.

chè

To penetrate; to go through thoroughly; to be thorough

Radical 15 strokes
jiǎo

A variant form of 徼 (jiào/jiǎo), meaning to patrol, to seek; a boundary or border; also used in Buddhist terminology.

Radical 15 strokes
huì

Used exclusively in the word 徻徻, describing a spacious, open appearance of

Radical 16 strokes
jiǎo

to patrol; to seek; boundary

Radical 16 strokes
huī

Emblem, badge, insignia; also refers to Anhui province; a standard or mark of distinction.

Radical 17 strokes
méi

To walk slowly and cautiously; to move with careful steps; to follow a winding path.

Radical 17 strokes
徿lòng

Long — archaic character meaning to walk slowly and cautiously; to pace back and forth.

Radical 19 strokes
xiāng

To walk briskly; to stride; to roam freely (archaic/rare character).

Radical 20 strokes
bào

To roam, to travel, to wander about.

Radical 20 strokes

A rare character meaning 'path' or 'road', variant form of 衢 (qú).

Radical 21 strokes
xīn

Heart; mind; intention

Radical 4 strokes
xīn

Heart radical — the vertical form of the heart component used as

Radical 3 strokes

must; certainly; necessary

Radical 5 strokes

to remember; to recall; to recollect

Radical 4 strokes

A rare character meaning 'great achievement' or 'meritorious service'; also used in names.

Radical 5 strokes
rén

A variant or archaic form of 仁 (benevolence, humanity, kindness), composed of

Radical 6 strokes
dāo

Anxious; sorrowful; grieved

Radical 5 strokes
dìng

A classical Chinese character describing a state of worry, anxiety, or being

Radical 5 strokes
gǎi

To rely on; to depend on; to trust.

Radical 6 strokes

to fear; to dread; to avoid

Radical 7 strokes
rěn

to endure; to bear; to tolerate

Radical 7 strokes
rén

An ancient variant form of the character 仁, meaning benevolence, humaneness, kindness,

Radical 7 strokes
chàn

To repent, to feel remorse, to confess; specifically refers to Buddhist repentance rituals.

Radical 6 strokes
tǎn

uneasy, apprehensive, nervous (used primarily in the compound word 忐忑)

Radical 7 strokes

uneasy, nervous, apprehensive; used primarily in the compound word 忐忑 (tǎntè) meaning perturbed or unsettled.

Radical 7 strokes

Excessively; too much; very

Radical 7 strokes
gān

To interfere; to meddle; to offend

Radical 6 strokes

To dislike; to be weary of; to loathe

Radical 6 strokes
shì

To be accustomed to; to be habituated to; to indulge in

Radical 6 strokes
cǔn

to speculate; to consider; to ponder

Radical 6 strokes
zhì

will, ambition, aspiration; to record, to remember; mark, sign

Radical 7 strokes
wàng

to forget; to neglect; to overlook

Radical 7 strokes
máng

busy; hurried; fully occupied

Radical 6 strokes

A rare character meaning to deceive or cheat; also an ancient variant with obscure meaning.

Radical 6 strokes
fān

A rare character, sometimes used as a variant form or in personal; meaning uncertain but often associated with sailing or flags due to phonetic

Radical 6 strokes
yīng

Japanese variant of 應/应; to respond, to answer; to comply with

Radical 7 strokes
tiǎn

To disgrace; to shame; to be unworthy (used humbly)

Radical 8 strokes
mǐn

To strive; to exert oneself; diligent

Radical 8 strokes
mín

An archaic character meaning 'strong', 'forceful', or 'vigorous'; also a variant form of 忞.

Radical 7 strokes
zhōng

loyalty, devotion, faithfulness; to be loyal and devoted

Radical 8 strokes
chōng

Anxious; grieved; sorrowful

Radical 7 strokes

A variant form of 悟 (wù), meaning to realize, awaken, or comprehend; enlightenment.

Radical 8 strokes

Urgent; anxious; hasty

Radical 6 strokes

to disobey; to be unfilial; to be contrary

Radical 7 strokes

To breathe quietly; to rest; quiet, peaceful

Radical 8 strokes
jiá

An archaic character meaning to be anxious, worried, or concerned; also used in ancient texts to mean envious or jealous.

Radical 7 strokes
yōu

to worry; to be anxious; sorrow

Radical 7 strokes
wàn

To be covetous; greedy; avaricious. (Archaic)

Radical 7 strokes
cōng

An archaic variant of 匆 (cōng), meaning hurried, hasty; also an ancient variant of 聰 (cōng), meaning clever, intelligent.

Radical 8 strokes
sōng

Drowsy, sleepy; relaxed, calm; also read as zhōng meaning alarmed, frightened.

Radical 7 strokes
kuài

fast, quick, rapid; swift; soon

Radical 7 strokes

To be at ease; calm and comfortable; also an archaic variant of 舒 (to stretch, to relax).

Radical 7 strokes
biàn

delighted; joyful; pleased

Radical 7 strokes
zhì

stubborn; obstinate; willful

Radical 7 strokes

reverent; respectful; cautious

Radical 7 strokes
cuì

variant of 悴; to be haggard, worn-out, or distressed; to worry

Radical 7 strokes
chén

Sincerity; heartfelt emotion; genuine feeling.

Radical 7 strokes
tài

Extravagant, wasteful, indulgent; to be accustomed to luxury.

Radical 7 strokes
tún

Distressed; melancholy; deeply worried

Radical 7 strokes
qián

An archaic character meaning anxious, worried, or distressed.

Radical 7 strokes

Characters for Chinese names — FAQ

Practical guidance for evaluating characters by radical, stroke balance, and cultural resonance.

How do radicals help when choosing characters?

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.

What’s a good stroke range for name characters?

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.

Do characters have gender?

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.