Chinese character for dragon: 龙 (lóng)
The Chinese character for dragon is 龙 (lóng). It means the Chinese dragon and is the fifth animal of the Chinese zodiac. It appears in 龙年 (lóng nián, Year of the Dragon) and 龙舟 (lóngzhōu, dragon boat). Chinese dragons are symbols of power, luck and water.
How 龙 is built
The traditional form 龍 is a pictograph of a dragon: on the left is the head with a crest and an open mouth, and on the right the long body with spines. Over centuries the picture became the detailed character you see. The simplified form 龙 keeps only a short sketch of the curling body. As a memory aid, the hook stroke in 龙 is the dragon's tail. Both read lóng.
龙 lóng · dragon
- 尤yóu — especially
- 尢yóu — weak
- 乚 — hook stroke
- 丶 — dot
- 尢yóu — weak
- 丿 — falling stroke
Origin hint: A dragon (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
How 龙 is used
Before you use it as a tattoo or design: Many people choose the traditional 龍 for its richer shape; it needs enough size for its sixteen strokes to stay clear.
Questions
What is the Chinese character for dragon?
龙 (lóng) means “dragon”. In traditional characters it is written 龍.
How do you pronounce 龙?
龙 is pronounced lóng.
Is 龙 simplified or traditional?
龙 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore; 龍 is the traditional form used in Taiwan and Hong Kong.