Browse meaningful Chinese characters for names — pronunciations, core meanings, radicals, stroke counts, and structure.
To spread out; to extend; to open up
to accumulate; to save up; to gather
To contract; to cramp; to spasm
To spread out; to lay out; to set up (a stall)
To grip tightly; to clutch; to grasp firmly in hand.
To break off; to snap; to tear apart
To fall; to stumble; to toss
To scrape out; to scoop out; to dig out with fingers or a tool.
To obstruct; to block; to fend off
To stir, mix, disturb, trouble; to meddle or interfere with something.
To seize; to grab; to snatch
to grasp; to take hold of; to monopolize
To have no wings but still fly; to crawl; to move without wings (archaic/rare character).
to stab; to thrust (with a knife or dagger); to push
to support; to prop up; to sustain
Exhausted, tired, fatigued, weary.
To rest the head on something; to support with the elbow; to prop up.
To lean; to incline; to tilt
To extend; to stretch out; to prolong. An archaic character rarely used in modern Chinese.
To tap; to strike lightly; a radical in Chinese characters often related to actions or striking.
Rap, tap; to strike lightly; a variant form of 攴, used as a radical meaning 'to hit'
To receive; to collect; to gather
To examine, to test, to investigate; an archaic variant of 考 (kǎo).
distant, far; leisurely; pertaining to
to change; to alter; to correct
An archaic character meaning to change, to alter; also used in ancient texts.
to attack; to assault; to criticize
An archaic character meaning to seek, to pursue; to attack, to strike; also read as hàn with similar meanings.
To distribute; to bestow; to issue
to release; to let go; to set free
government, politics, administration; political affairs; to govern.
To press; to force; to compel
To weigh in the hand; to estimate; to deliberate.
To knock; to strike; to tap
Strong, vigorous; to exert strength; to put forth effort.
To exert effort; to strive; to be diligent
reason, cause; old, former; intentionally
To combine, to join together; to harmonize; to unite.
Ancient term for a type of bamboo slip used for writing; to command or order; to whip or flog.
effect; efficacy; to imitate
To pacify; to calm; to soothe
To be in pain, to suffer; to cause pain or suffering; to torment.
To strike; to beat; to attack (archaic meaning). Also used as a variant form in certain
enemy, foe, opponent; to oppose, to resist; to match, to be equal to
To narrate, to tell, to recount; to converse, to chat; also used in the sense of expressing or stating.
To teach; to instruct; to educate
Quick; agile; nimble
To advance; to move forward; to proceed
To rescue; to save; to help
To arrange; to put in order; to regulate
To seize; to take by force; to snatch away
A percussion instrument in ancient Chinese music, shaped like a tiger with
Imperial decree or edict; to command or order (especially by an emperor).
To roam, wander; to ramble; proud, arrogant
to defeat; to be defeated; to fail
To narrate, relate, recount; to talk about, describe; to arrange in order
To teach; to instruct; education
To seize; to take by force; to rob
to restrain; to control; to hold back
To fill in; to stop up; to plug
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.