Browse meaningful Chinese characters for names — pronunciations, core meanings, radicals, stroke counts, and structure.
to think of; to miss; to read
To be confused, bewildered, or in a state of mental agitation.
Fearful; frightened; alarmed
To be embarrassed, ashamed, or ill at ease; often used in the compound 忸怩 to describe a shy or bashful
A rare character meaning 'perverse' or 'stubborn'; archaic variant of 狂 meaning 'mad, wild, crazy'.
To desire; to be willing; to be happy
to be joyful, delighted; to open the heart; a surname.
Generous; magnanimous; impassioned
to neglect; to overlook; to ignore
Anger, indignation, rage; to sigh; to hate deeply.
anger, resentment, indignation; to feel angry or indignant
to cherish; to harbor (feelings); to think of
state, condition, attitude, appearance, manner
To instigate, incite; frightened, terrified; timid, cowardly.
To be disappointed, disconsolate; to be amazed, astonished; to love.
To be annoyed; to irritate; to sulk
disappointed, frustrated, melancholy, sorrowful; describes a state of sadness or regret.
sorrowful; mournful; grieved
Arrogant, haughty; disrespectful; variant form of 倨.
To be happy, joyful; to feel pleasure or delight.
To change one's mind; to be contrary or contradictory.
sad; sorrowful; melancholy
Confused, troubled in mind; variant reading mén meaning angry, resentful.
A rare character meaning fearful, apprehensive, or anxious.
to be ashamed; to feel embarrassed; to change facial expression due to shame or embarrassment.
How — interrogative word used to ask about manner, reason, or degree; often used in questions.
discontented; resentful; sullen
A rare character meaning foolish, stupid, or dull-witted; also an alternative form of 佝 (hunchbacked).
A rarely used Chinese character meaning disobedient, contrary, or perverse.
anger, rage, fury; to be angry, indignant; vigorous, flourishing (as in vegetation)
To be troubled, disturbed, or in a state of confusion; agitated.
To be startled, stunned, or in a daze; describes a state of mental shock or confusion.
To fear; to be afraid of; to dread
fear; terror; dread
peaceful, tranquil; settled, stable; to submit, to obey
Ancient, old; to protect, guard; firm, stable
to rely on; to depend on; (archaic) father
Arrogant, rude, coarse; also read as jù meaning to be careless or negligent.
to grieve; sorrowful; distressed
to pity; to feel compassion for; to sympathize with
to think; to consider; to ponder
To be anxious, worried, or distressed; to grieve; to be sorrowful.
To be anxious, worried, or troubled in mind.
neglectful; idle; lazy
happy; joyful; pleasant
Neglectful; indifferent; careless
Foolish, silly, stupid; an archaic character rarely used in modern Chinese.
thoughtful; to think; to consider
urgent; hurried; anxious
Onomatopoeia for the sound of a heartbeat or thumping; describes a state of being startled, excited, or nervous.
nature; character; disposition
resentment, hatred, complaint, grievance; to blame, to reproach
bashful; shy; timid
Strange, odd, peculiar; to blame, to find strange; monster, supernatural being.
angry; indignant; sullen
To rest; to be at ease; to be content
Arrogant; disrespectful; rude.
To grieve deeply; sorrowful; distressed
timid, cowardly, nervous, afraid; rustic, unsophisticated
To sell; to trade; to vend (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.