The Hidden Meaning Behind the Names in Revenged Love《逆愛》

💬 Intro for Sharing

Chinese names often carry multiple layers of meaning: literal definitions, cultural metaphors, or sound-based wordplay. Some names are poetic, others ironic, and a few are practically full-on spoilers in disguise. This guide unpacks the meanings behind the names of key characters in Revenged Love, making them easier to appreciate, especially if you don’t speak Chinese. I hope this enhances your viewing experience and helps you fall even deeper into this beautifully chaotic story.

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Main Characters 

🐍 Chi Cheng

池騁（Traditional） / 池骋（Simplified）
•池 means pond or pool. It symbolizes calm, depth, and emotion.
•騁 / 骋 means to gallop freely, to run at full speed.

Related expression: 馳騁疆場 (chí chěng jiāng chǎng) — to gallop across the battlefield

In the story:
Chi Cheng appears cold, even arrogant, but his bond with his snakes shows a deeply emotional and loyal side. His name reflects that tension: “池” hints at hidden emotional depth, while “騁” shows how fiercely he moves once he chooses a direction in life or love. He is emotionally intense, direct, and loyal to what (and whom) he loves.

Why it’s clever:
His name reads like a warrior charging across emotional terrain, with the still waters of the pond hiding everything until it bursts into action.

🎭 Wu Suo Wei

吳所畏（Traditional） / 吴所畏（Simplified）
Original name: 吳其芎 / 吴其芎

Original name meaning:
•芎 is a Chinese medicinal herb
•其芎 (qí xiōng) sounds like 其窮無比 (qí qióng wú bǐ) — “as poor as can be”

In the story:
He starts off as a loser — broke, rejected by Yue Yue, and treated as pathetic. His original name sounds weak and unlucky. After reinventing himself, he takes on the name “Suo Wei,” which flips everything.

Literal meaning: 所畏 = “that which is feared”

Homophone 1: 無所畏懼 / 无所畏惧 — “fearless”
Homophone 2: 無所謂 / 无所谓 — “whatever” / “I don’t care”

In the story:
His new name is bold and dramatic. “Suo Wei” signals that he’s no longer the one who fears — he’s the one to be feared. The first homophone shows his newfound courage. The second reveals his emotional mask: pretending not to care as a form of defense.

Why it’s clever:
This is a full-on rebranding. From “hopelessly poor” to “cold and fearless,” his name change tracks his transformation, revenge, and vulnerability — all at once.

💅 Yue Yue

岳悅（Traditional） / 岳悦（Simplified）
•岳 means a tall mountain
•悅 / 悦 means joy or delight

In the story:
Her name sounds elegant and beautiful — someone who brings joy from a high place. But in truth, she is manipulative and calculating, chasing status by seducing wealthier men.

Why it’s clever:
Her name is a cruelly ironic contrast. She presents herself as someone who brings joy, but she only finds joy when she’s climbing or using others. She wants to be admired like a mountain, but has no emotional depth.

🧊 Supporting Characters

🧑‍⚕️ Jiang Xiao Shuai

姜小帥（Traditional） / 姜小帅（Simplified）
•姜 is the word for ginger, often associated with wisdom (“old ginger” = someone experienced)
•小帥 / 小帅 means “little handsome” or “pretty boy”

In the story:
He’s the smart, rational, emotionally stable one. He mentors Wu Suo Wei and is the object of Guo Cheng Yu’s chaotic affection. His name reads like a BL fanfiction dream character — calm, cool, hot, and impossible to shake.

Why it’s clever:
It’s adorably on-brand. His name is both ironic and accurate — he’s not just “little handsome,” he’s actually emotionally mature and deeply observant. It lulls you into thinking he’s just eye candy, but he’s much more.

😈 Guo Cheng Yu

郭城宇（Same in both scripts）
•城 means city or fortress
•宇 refers to the universe, grandeur, or masculinity

In the story:
Guo Cheng Yu is loud, proud, and flirty. He acts like he owns every room — and wants to own Jiang Xiao Shuai’s heart. His name radiates scale and presence, just like his personality.

Why it’s clever:
It sounds like a name fit for a CEO or a conqueror. And that’s exactly how he behaves — whether in business, love, or flirtation.

💪 Gang Zi

剛子（Traditional） / 刚子（Simplified）
•剛 / 刚 means strong or tough
•子 is a casual suffix, like “-y” or “-ie” in English nicknames

In the story:
He’s Chi Cheng’s loyal assistant — reliable, practical, and always ready to help. He doesn’t get a big arc, but his presence is steady.

Why it’s clever:
“Gang Zi” is a classic name for a tough but loyal helper. It tells you exactly who he is — the strong, dependable guy who stays in the background but never lets you down.

🪷 Chi Jia Li

池佳麗（Traditional） / 池佳丽（Simplified）
•佳麗 / 佳丽 means a beautiful, elegant woman
•Shares the surname 池 with Chi Cheng

In the story:
She’s Chi Cheng’s older sister. She’s elegant, perceptive, and the only one who sees through Yue Yue immediately.

Why it’s clever:
She embodies what Yue Yue pretends to be. Her name means elegance, and she lives up to it — calm, smart, and not fooled by appearances.

are there any meanings for the snake names? or is it just the character names?

There's also Chi Cheng's nickname for Wu Suowei: 大包  (dà bāo), which he took from the skin product WSW gave him in one of the first episodes, but also has a nice resonance with Xiao Cubao. (I think it's the same "bao" as in the snake's name, but I could remember it wrong and I couldn't find an instance in a hurry where we see it on CC's phone screen) 

Oh, thank you so much. I love meaningful posts that broaden my horizons and give so much more context to what I see. That's what I like about Chinese, that the language is so complex and meaningful and I regret not understanding it....

 -Aprillen-:

User @eternalsummer also posted some fun insights about the names in this comment:

https://kisskh.at/793270-revenged-love#comment-22487232

Oh yes! And shoutout to @eternalsummer for their super fun name breakdown over in this comment 💥 — loved the bit about 吳所畏 (Wu Suowei) sounding like 無所謂 (“whatever”) and how his ex literally dumped him for being “其窮” (super broke)! 😂

Honestly, this drama’s naming game is on another level. Between 小醋包 (Little Vinegar Bun), 大包/Dà Bāo (possibly “Big Bun” or “Big Treasure”?), and every pun tucked into the character intros, it’s giving semantic chaos meets emotional damage. And I’m eating it up like Chi Cheng eats Suowei’s sugar art.

This show really said: language nerds, rise.

Thanks a lot! Other than mentioned in the drama, I understood only Xiao Shuai 😹

I checked the Chinese subs on Viki and they said that CC's nickname for WSW is 大宝(寶). So it's the same meaning as the skin cream (Big Treasure) and not the same as the snake.