Chinese Names by Meaning
Chinese parents often start with a quality they hope for, then look for characters that carry it. Browse characters and names by theme.
A character's meaning on its own is not the same as what a name means. Two good characters can still make an awkward pair.
Peace and calm
Steadiness, ease and a settled heart.
Characters
- 安ānpeace, safety
- 然ránnatural, so
- 宁níngtranquil
- 静jìngquiet, serene
- 和héharmony
- 平pínglevel, peaceful
- 怡yícheerful, at ease
- 逸yìfree, unhurried
- 依yīto rely on; gentle
- 舒shūrelaxed, at ease
Light and brightness
Dawn, sunlight and a clear mind.
Characters
- 明míngbright, clear
- 晓xiǎodawn; to understand
- 晨chénearly morning
- 阳yángsun, sunlight
- 朗lǎngbright, open
- 皓hàobright white, luminous
- 晴qíngclear sky
- 月yuèmoon
- 星xīngstar
- 曦xīmorning sunlight
- 奕yìradiant, spirited
- 白báiwhite; pure
Nature and seasons
Streams, clouds, trees and the turning year.
Characters
- 晴qíngclear sky
- 沐mùto bathe in
- 溪xīmountain stream
- 雨yǔrain
- 雪xuěsnow
- 月yuèmoon
- 云yúncloud
- 星xīngstar
- 辰chéncelestial bodies; time
- 桐tóngpaulownia tree
- 林línforest
- 树shùtree; to cultivate
- 舟zhōuboat
- 夏xiàsummer
- 初chūbeginning, first
- 清qīngclear, pure
- 景jǐngscenery; great
- 泽zépool; grace, benefit
- 梓zǐcatalpa tree; hometown
- 汐xīevening tide
- 燕yànswallow (bird)
- 春chūnspring
- 采cǎito pick, to gather
- 薇wēiwild vetch; small flower
- 南nánsouth
- 乔qiáotall (tree)
- 涛tāogreat waves
Flowers and jade
Fragrance, color and the quiet worth of jade.
Characters
- 兰lánorchid
- 芳fāngfragrant
- 瑶yáoprecious jade
- 琳línfine jade
- 琪qífine jade
- 玉yùjade
- 彤tóngvermilion red
- 华huásplendid; blossom
- 秀xiùelegant, graceful
- 英yīngflower; hero
- 妍yánbeautiful
- 丽lìbeautiful
- 芬fēnfragrance
- 婷tínggraceful
- 桂guìosmanthus
- 美měibeautiful
- 玲língtinkling of jade
- 娟juāngraceful, lovely
- 紫zǐpurple
- 萱xuāndaylily, a flower of carefree joy
- 薇wēiwild vetch; small flower
- 姝shūa beautiful woman
- 芷zhǐangelica, a fragrant herb
- 娜nàgraceful
- 瑾jǐnfine jade; virtue
- 梅méiplum blossom
Wisdom and learning
Insight, poetry, ink and books.
Characters
- 明míngbright, clear
- 雅yǎelegant, refined
- 慧huìwise, perceptive
- 敏mǐnquick, clever
- 睿ruìinsightful
- 博bóbroad, learned
- 文wénculture, writing
- 知zhīto know
- 思sīto think, to miss
- 诗shīpoetry
- 涵hánto contain; inner depth
- 语yǔwords, speech
- 墨mòink
- 子zǐchild; master, scholar
- 意yìmeaning; wish
- 书shūbook; writing
Character and virtue
Sincerity, resolve and integrity.
Characters
- 和héharmony
- 婉wǎngentle, graceful
- 清qīngclear, pure
- 涵hánto contain; inner depth
- 诚chéngsincere
- 毅yìresolute
- 立lìto stand, to establish
- 诺nuòpromise
- 行xíngto walk; conduct
- 嘉jiāexcellent, praiseworthy
- 泽zépool; grace, benefit
- 一yīone, whole
- 淑shūvirtuous, gentle
- 洁jiéclean, pure
- 念niànto think of, to cherish
- 承chéngto carry on, to inherit
- 君jūngentleman; lord
- 谦qiānmodest
- 修xiūlong; to cultivate
- 怀huáito embrace, to cherish
- 瑾jǐnfine jade; virtue
- 齐qíequal; to keep pace with
- 慕mùto admire
- 磊lěiheap of stones; open-hearted
Joy and blessing
Gladness, good fortune and a warm heart.
Characters
- 怡yícheerful, at ease
- 佑yòuto protect, to bless
- 悦yuèjoy, delight
- 欣xīnglad
- 佳jiāfine, good
- 嘉jiāexcellent, praiseworthy
- 心xīnheart, mind
- 梦mèngdream
- 可kělovable; may
- 萱xuāndaylily, a flower of carefree joy
- 欢huānjoy
- 嫣yānsweet, charming smile
- 儿érchild (affectionate suffix)
- 家jiāfamily, home
- 少shàoyoung
Ambition and vastness
Wide horizons, far journeys and high aims.
Characters
- 英yīngflower; hero
- 立lìto stand, to establish
- 浩hàovast, mighty
- 宇yǔuniverse; eaves
- 轩xuānlofty; pavilion
- 远yuǎnfar, far-reaching
- 志zhìaspiration, will
- 航hángto sail, voyage
- 天tiānsky, heaven
- 俊jùnhandsome, talented
- 杰jiéoutstanding
- 建jiànto build
- 国guócountry
- 豪háoheroic, bold
- 强qiángstrong
- 宏hónggrand, vast
- 振zhènto rouse, to invigorate
- 鹏péngroc, a giant mythical bird
- 程chéngjourney; rule
- 帆fānsail
- 卓zhuóoutstanding
- 鸿hóngwild swan; great
- 飞fēito fly
- 致zhìto reach, to devote
- 伟wěigreat
- 军jūnarmy
Names using them
- 秀英xiùyīng
- 浩然hàorán
- 宇轩yǔxuān
- 明远míngyuǎn
- 俊杰jùnjié
- 一航yīháng
- 志远zhìyuǎn
- 知远zhīyuǎn
- 天佑tiānyòu
- 建国jiànguó
- 立诚lìchéng
- 思远sīyuǎn
- 泽宇zéyǔ
- 皓轩hàoxuān
- 桂英guìyīng
- 浩宇hàoyǔ
- 宇航yǔháng
- 梓豪zǐháo
- 宇泽yǔzé
- 子轩zǐxuān
- 志强zhìqiáng
- 建华jiànhuá
- 国强guóqiáng
- 文杰wénjié
- 志明zhìmíng
- 家豪jiāháo
- 俊宏jùnhóng
- 振宇zhènyǔ
- 鹏程péngchéng
- 天宇tiānyǔ
- 文轩wénxuān
- 君浩jūnhào
- 云帆yúnfān
- 卓然zhuórán
- 鸿飞hóngfēi
- 致远zhìyuǎn
- 修远xiūyuǎn
- 伟wěi
- 强qiáng
- 军jūn
- 鹏péng
Looking for your own Chinese name?
These are given names. A complete Chinese name also needs a family name, and a name that suits a baby born in China can read differently on an adult from abroad.