Browse meaningful Chinese characters for names — pronunciations, core meanings, radicals, stroke counts, and structure.
To tear down, dismantle, take apart; to open (a letter, package); to analyze
Thumb; the first or big finger of the hand.
to pick up with the fingers; to take; to pinch
to pull; to drag; to haul
to pat; to stroke; to clap
To throw, cast, fling; to abandon, discard; to throw away.
to mix, to stir, to blend; also means to quarrel or argue.
to clap; to pat; to beat
To carry or lift in one's hand; to hold by the handle.
To take; to seize; to apprehend
to turn; to swerve; to kidnap
To clamp; to pinch; to hold with forceps
To resist; to refuse; to reject
to expand; to open up; to develop
To pull out, extract, uproot; to select, promote; to surpass, excel
To drag, pull, haul; to delay, procrastinate; variant form of 拖.
To drag, pull, haul; to delay, procrastinate; to involve, implicate.
to bend; to twist; to break off
to restrain; to restrict; to detain
Clumsy, awkward, unskillful; my (humble self-reference)
To disregard; to sacrifice; to risk
to beckon; to recruit; to attract
To worship; to pay respects; to visit
To worship; to pay respects; to salute
To hold; to grasp; to control. A variant form of 攡.
to plan; to draft; to intend
basis; foundation; grounds
To expand, enlarge, extend; to spread out; to amplify.
to gather together; to collect; to approach
To choose; to select; to pick out
To grip tightly with both hands; to pinch; to clutch.
to embrace; to hug; to hold
to block; to obstruct; to hinder
to twist; to pinch; to wring
to move or adjust with hand or tool; to allocate; to dial
to choose; to select; to pick
To move, relocate, transfer (archaic variant of 遷/迁 meaning 'to move' or
To pull; to drag; to oppose
To include, embrace, enclose; to summarize; to fasten, bind
to wipe; to scrub; to clean by rubbing.
To be in straitened circumstances; to be poor; to pick up with thumb and forefinger
to rescue, to save, to deliver from danger or suffering.
To grasp; to hold firmly; to pinch
To cup one's hands in salute; to arch; to surround
Manacles, handcuffs; to restrain or bind the hands; also refers to a respectful gesture of clasped hands.
fist; boxing; martial arts
to tie; to fasten; to tether
To make, to create; to prepare; to store or preserve.
to press or squeeze tightly; an instrument of torture used to crush fingers; to be in a tight situation.
To torture; to beat; to flog
To carry on the shoulder with a pole; to bear a burden; to shoulder responsibility.
To break apart; to split; to tear asunder
To select, choose; to pick out; to arrange
To strike; to beat; to fight
to piece together; to assemble; to join
To pull, drag, haul; to throw; (colloquial) to show off, swagger.
To pick up; to collect; to tidy up
To take; to hold; to grasp
to split; to tear apart; to rip open
To hold; to grasp; to maintain
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.