Names by Meaning

Beautiful Chinese Names and What the Characters Mean

Grace, blossoms, jade, light: the characters behind beautiful Chinese names, and how to choose one that fits.

5 min read

Beauty in a Chinese name comes less from a single word for pretty and more from images of grace: blossoms and jade, soft light, clear water. Here are the characters that carry beauty, and how to choose a name that is lovely without sliding into cliche.

Characters that carry beauty

  • 美 (měi), beauty, the plain word; gentle when paired well.
  • 丽 (lì), lovely, graceful, bright.
  • 婷 (tíng), graceful and slender, the poise of a person.
  • Jade and blossom characters, prized stones and flowers, among the loveliest in any name.

Wood characters (blossoms, grace)

CharacterPinyinMeaning
línforest; lush and thriving
catalpa tree; vitality and roots
nánphoebe wood; sturdy and precious
tóngpaulownia tree; nobility and grace
sōngpine; resilience and longevity
fēngmaple; warmth and beauty
róngglory; flourishing
yúnrue herb; diligence and fragrance
bǎicypress; steadfast and enduring
vivid and lifelike
yángpoplar; upright and growing
liǔwillow; grace and flexibility

Lovely, not saccharine

Stacking sweet characters can tip into too-much. The most beautiful names pair one graceful character with a grounded one, and let the sound carry the rest.

Make it yours

A beautiful name lands when it fits the person. Build it around the element your birth chart leans on, with graceful characters and a flowing sound.

Get a beautiful Chinese name chosen around your birth and the five elements. Free, with pronunciation and meaning.

Generate my Chinese name

Keep reading

← All guides