Chinese zodiac symbols and other powerful characters
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Chinese symbols and meanings include the 12 signs of the Chinese Zodiac, as well as symbols that stand for love, peace, good luck, and strength. Keep reading to uncover both the origin and meaning of Chinese symbols found in nature, the animal kingdom, and within Chinese characters themselves. You’ll also discover which Chinese symbols are the most meaningful to choose when getting a tattoo.
- Phoenix 凤: The Phoenix symbolizes love, beauty, prosperity, and peace.
- Dragon 龍 : Dragons stand for strength and courage.
- Lotus Flower 荷花: The lotus flower signals strength and resilience against adversity.
- Double Happiness 囍: The xǐ symbol represents happiness and love.
He Ping 和平 The Mandarin symbol he ping indicates peace and safety. Chinese tradition includes this symbol as a favorite to keep in a household to keep everyone living inside safe. It’s sometimes referred to as the Asian symbol of peace due to its popularity in multiple Asian countries.
Yin-Yang 阴阳 The yin-yang symbol stands for opposing forces in Taoism. Also called the Taijitu, it illustrates the interdependence between light and dark, day and night, male and female. These opposites come together in the famous black-and-white symbol that can show you how balance is the key to everything in life.[1]
Vase 瓶 A vase (ping) is a Chinese symbol of peace. It appears in many Chinese households in the form of a porcelain vase given as a gift to wish peace to the members of the house. A vase depicting an image of flowers from all 4 seasons wishes for “peace in all seasons.” During Chinese New Year, if a vase is broken, it means “peace and safety for every year,” so it is considered a good omen.[2]
Lily 百合 Lilies (bǎihé) represent purity and the innocence of the human spirit. Lilies stand for both the unity of spirits and 100 years’ worth of love. The word means “one hundred together” and is also considered a wedding symbol that stands for harmony and unity.[3]
Clouds云 Clouds (yún) are a symbol of holiness and blessings. They appear in everything from Chinese paintings and artwork to household objects and clothing. These unique cloud symbols are also used in Buddhist ritual costumes because of their symbolic power for peace.[4]
Love 爱 The Chinese word for love (Ài) is pronounced “eye.” It’s usually paired with other Chinese symbols to express variations on the theme of love. For example, the phrase “wǒ ài nǐ” means “I love you.” “Liàn ài,” similarly, means to “fall in love.”[5]
Double Happiness 囍 The xǐ symbol (pronounced “see”) represents the happiness and love between a couple. It’s often used in Chinese weddings as a symbol of joy for the couple being wed. The double happiness symbol is embodied by the color red to signal both passion and love.[6]
Phoenix 凤 The Chinese Phoenix is a symbol of love, beauty, prosperity, and peace. It carries the 5 Elements in its feathers and is one of the 4 celestial animals.[7]
These 5 elements include virtue, courtesy, benevolence, righteousness, and faith. The phoenix is a powerful symbol that is also known as the Fenghuang, or Vermilion Bird.[8]Mandarin Ducks 鸳鸯 Mandarin ducks (yuānyāng) are a symbol of marital love in China. In nature, they appear as a pair of ducks who cannot be easily separated. The Chinese characters included in Mandarin duck represent both the male and female of the pair. A pair of Mandarin ducks is also known as an image utilized for wedding, window, and New Year decorations.[9]
Love Pea 相思豆 The Chinese symbol of love pea (xiāng sī dòu) stands for love and the feeling of missing someone. The love pea is a red bean that is shaped like a heart. It’s based on a folktale about a woman who cried for her long-lost husband beneath a berry tree. Her tears turned the tree’s berries red and heart-shaped (called love peas). The love pea often appears on pieces of jewelry you might give to someone you love and miss very much.[10]
Dragons 龍 The Chinese dragon (lóng) is known for its strength, bravery, and intelligence. In the natural world, dragons are in charge of wind, thunder, and rain. They also look after rivers, seas, and lakes on earth. Many different dragons exist in Chinese culture; each has their unique qualities.[11]
- Ying-Long 應龍 The Dragon of Earth and Power represents the Earth and the Five Elements. Ying-Long controls the wind and rain and appears as a yellow dragon with 5 claws. The Ying-Long dragon has been used as an imperial symbol of Chinese emperors throughout history.
- Zhu Long 燭龍 The Dragon of Time and Season symbolizes the transformation of time and weather. It’s also called the Dragon of Zhu and appears with a red snake’s body and a human head. Zhu Long doesn’t eat or sleep but ushers in the day by opening his eyes and brings night when he closes them.
- Chi Long 螭 The Dragon of Protection and Auspiciousness is a symbol of luck, happiness, love, and career. It appears as a hornless animal from the sea who lives closer to people than other mythical dragons, so it is often depicted in accessories, clothing, and decor.
- Jiao Long 蛟龙 The Dragon of Transformation and Challenge signals the final thunder test which turns ordinary dragons into immortal ones. It appears to be a half-snake/half-dragon that can swim underwater.
- Pan Long 蟠龍” The Dragon of Coils brings rain when needed. It has black coiled scales and lives both on the ground and in the sea. Chinese buildings often have pillars that depict Pan Long to protect those inside from injury.
Qílín 麒麟 The Qílín is known as the happiest and luckiest of mythical creatures. In Chinese folklore, a book of jade is said to declare the Qílín as the reincarnation of the son of the God of Water. The Qílín has an elk’s body, a lion’s head, a deer’s horn, a tiger’s eyes, and an ox’s tail.[12]
Tiger 虎 The Chinese tiger (hǔ) is a sign of bravery. Tigers were given as paintings from one soldier to another as a sign of respect. Different army regimes were also known to wear painted tiger uniforms and place tiger emblems on their shields before battle.[13]
Xiezhi 獬豸 The Xiezhi stands for justice. It appears as a cattle or sheep with a prominent horn on its forehead. It’s said to look similar to the Qílín but has a very different role among Chinese symbolic creatures. Xiezhi is capable of intervening in disputes and is a protector of the innocent.[14]
Lion 狮子 The lion (shīzǐ) represents strength and can ward off negative energy. Lions also provide peace and calm to those who need it most. Guardian lions regularly appear in pairs at the entrance of official government buildings in China. Called “stone lions,” their purpose is to protect the lives of those living or working inside.[15]
Peng Bird 鵬 The Chinese Péng Niǎo is a mythical bird symbolizing rapid advancement. It’s known for its massive wing span and was originally made of a giant Kun fish. The peng bird famously appears in the works of 20th-century Chinese composer Chuang Tzu.[16]
Black Tortoise 玄武 The black tortoise (xuánwǔ) acts as a connector of earthly and heavenly realms. It is one of the Chinese 4 symbols, which include the Azure Dragon, the Vermilion Bird, and the White Tiger. The black tortoise represents the season of winter and appears as a serpent coiled around a turtle.[17]
Good Luck 福 The Pinyin symbol for good luck (fu) signifies a year of good luck, prosperity, and happiness. It’s commonly hung on the front door during the New Year and the Chinese Spring Festival. This tradition began during the Zhou dynasty as a way to keep the Goddess of Poverty away. The symbol typically appears with black ink on red paper to help attract positive energy.[18]
Golden Cat 招き猫 A lucky or golden cat (maneki-neko) can transform evil into good. They’re considered a feng shui symbol of good luck, abundance, and protection. Cats often appear as a bad luck omen in Chinese mythology unless they’re a Golden cat.[19]
Magpie 鹊 The magpie (què) signals joy, happiness, and good fortune. Magpies are an important part of the Chinese legend of Zhinü and Niulang when a bridge of magpies brought two lovers together on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month. They also appear in pairs when depicted on good luck or wedding decorations.[20]
Panda 熊猫 The panda (xióngmāo) is associated with harmony, peace, and friendship. A panda’s black and white fur symbolizes the idea of yin and yang or opposites in balance. Pandas are also used in Chinese international diplomacy as a sign of goodwill to other countries. They are said to bring good fortune since they were sent to Earth to protect humankind.[21]
Peach 桃 A peach (táo) is connected to luck, immortality, and longevity. They’re also called “fairy fruit” because of their association with Taoist deities like the Queen Mother of the West. Peaches are used in Chinese traditional medicine to cure multiple diseases, while their wood branches are said to keep away evil spirits.[22]
Chinese Knot 中国结 The Chinese knot (zhōngguó jié) represents good luck, blessings, and prayers. It’s made up of unbroken lines that form a knot which illustrates the cycles of birth, life, death, and rebirth. The knot is often given as a gift between family or friends and can appear as decoration in a Chinese household.[23]
Jade 玉 Jade (yù) is a Chinese symbol of luck, harmony, eternity, and virtue. It was used as a good luck talisman for the dead, with jade pig figurines even placed into the hands of those who died. The 5 virtues of green jade have been listed as charity, rectitude, wisdom, courage, and equity.[24]
Bamboo 竹子 Bamboo (zhúzǐ) stands for strength, flexibility, and resilience. Its ability to bend without breaking is a symbol of adaptability in any difficult situation. Bamboo is also associated with both integrity and tenacity as a powerful element in nature.[25]
Flowers 花 Flowers (huā) symbolize virtues, emotions, and natural elements. Peonies stand for prosperity, while Chrysanthemums are connected to autumn, and orchids stand for beauty and elegance. A flower’s color is also an important part of what it can symbolize: red flowers = luck and happiness, pink flowers = romance and friendship, yellow flowers = positivity, and white flowers = death and mourning.[26]
Bat 蝙蝠 The bat (biānfú) is a symbol of good fortune in China. They can also signal sex and death but are considered good luck. The spiritual meaning of bats includes the 5 bats of happiness (wu fu), which symbolize the 5 blessings of life. These blessings include longevity, wealth, health, love, and a natural death.[27]
Carp 鲤 The carp (lǐ) is a fish that symbolizes good business. It’s sometimes depicted alongside a dragon to illustrate the old saying, “Carp jumping over the dragon’s door.” The carp is used as a symbol for congratulating someone with talent as you wish for them to have a hopeful future.[28]
Crane 起重机 The crane (qǐzhòngjī) signals longevity and human wisdom. They are most known for carrying dead souls to heaven in Chinese tradition. Cranes appear in paintings in flight to reflect an elevation in status.[29]
Deer 鹿 The deer (lù) is a symbol of both longevity and prosperity. They’re known to accompany Shoulao, the Chinese god of longevity. Deer are considered the only animal in the natural world to find the sacred fungus of immortality.[30]
Elephant 大象 The elephant (dà xiàng) represents high moral value. Due to their immense size, they also stand for both strength and intelligence. They often appear in talismans that are said to bring good luck and fortune to those who carry them.[31]
Fish 鱼 The fish (yú) is a symbol of wealth and prosperity. Its name signals abundance, which is reflected by the number of fish in the sea. When fish appear in a pair, they can represent both happiness and fertility, especially for a married couple.[32]
Dragon 龍 A dragon (lóng) is a powerful symbol of strength and courage. There are multiple Chinese dragon images to choose from when getting a tattoo. Chinese dragons can stand for intelligence or act as symbols of protection and transformation. The color you decide on for your dragon tattoo also affects its meaning: red dragons mean luck, yellow dragons mean wealth and blue dragons mean harmony.[34]
Tiger 虎 The tiger (hǔ) is associated with bravery and the military, which makes them a great tattoo choice if you have connections yourself. They’re also signs of dignity and ferocity and are protectors of the dead on their journey. Tigers are one of the strongest signs of the Chinese zodiac. [35]
Butterflies 蝴蝶 Butterflies (hú dié) symbolize love, romance, freedom, and beauty. They’re also featured in the Chinese folktale “The Butterfly Lovers,” where they represent eternal happiness. Butterflies are considered messengers of good news and are a bold way to show everyone how much you believe in these traditional Chinese meanings.[36]
Plum Blossom 梅花 The plum blossom (méihuā) represents inner beauty and modesty in adversity. As one of the most beloved flowers in China, its petals are considered one of the 5 Blessings (happiness, fortune, longevity, joy, and wealth), as well as one of the “flowers of the 4 seasons” and the “3 friends of winter.”[37]
The bright pink petals can provide an incredibly feminine symbol for strength and perseverance for your next tattoo.Peacock 孔雀 The peacock (kǒngquè) signifies beauty, rebirth, and wealth. They’re also a symbol for the Chinese Ming dynasty, along with Guan Yin, the goddess of compassion. A tattoo that boasts a peacock’s 100-eyed tail is a stunning and colorful way to show your love for Chinese symbols and meanings.[38]
Lotus Flower 荷花 The lotus flower (hé huā) symbolizes strength and resilience against adversity. This is due to how it grows from the mud at the bottom of a pond and still manages to rise to the surface. The lotus flower tattoo is a powerful image to choose from because it can communicate how well you can conquer anything that comes your way.[39]
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Source: HIS Education