also: ちょうじゃ
noun
long snake
Literal meaning: a physically long snake. Not commonly used in everyday conversation; more often seen in literary or descriptive contexts.
森の中で長蛇を見たという話を聞いた。
I heard a story about seeing a long snake in the forest.
noun
long line; long queue
Figurative use: a very long line of people, vehicles, etc., likened to a long snake. Often used in set phrases like 長蛇の列.
開店前から長蛇の列ができていた。
A long line had formed even before the store opened.
人気のラーメン店にはいつも長蛇の列ができる。
There is always a long queue at the popular ramen shop.
Obsolete reading; modern standard is ちょうだ.
行列 is the general word for a line or queue. 長蛇 emphasizes the extreme length, often with a figurative or dramatic nuance.
Compound of 長 (long) and 蛇 (snake). The figurative sense of a long line comes from the visual resemblance to a long snake.