Usage patterns 竜りゅう が 〈 物もの 〉 を 守も る for a dragon to guard something (e.g. treasure)
Legend says a dragon guards the treasure.
〈 物もの 〉 が 竜りゅう になる for a rook to be promoted to a dragon (in shogi)
The rook entered enemy territory and was promoted to a dragon.
竜りゅう を 退たい 治じ する to slay a dragon
The hero set out on a journey to slay the dragon.
竜りゅう に 乗の る to ride a dragon
The story's protagonist flew through the sky riding a dragon.
Related words 竜 usually means the East Asian dragon, a benevolent water deity, while ドラゴン typically evokes the fire-breathing Western dragon.
竜 is the generic word for a dragon, whereas 竜王 specifically refers to the mythological ruler or king of dragons.
Don't confuse with 竜 is the shogi abbreviation for a promoted rook, while 竜王 is the full term for that piece and also means 'Dragon King' as a deity.
竜 means the mythical dragon creature itself, while 辰 refers only to the zodiac sign associated with the dragon, not the creature.
恐竜 shares the kanji 竜 with 竜 but denotes a real prehistoric animal, whereas 竜 alone means a mythical dragon.
Word family· 62 dinosaur
Dragon King · promoted rook
dragon god; dragon king · naga
splendid horse; fine steed · promoted bishop
deva and naga; heavenly beings and dragon deities · heavenly dragon; celestial dragon
Show 17 more Show fewer gateway to success; stepping stone to fame
rising dragon; great dash
watch crown; stem · canon (of a bell) · dragon-head shape; dragon-head crest
one-eyed dragon; one-eyed hero
keel · dragon bone; longgu
agave; maguey · century plant; American aloe
nine-headed dragon
stegosaur
dried earthworm medicine
giant dragon
iguanodon
dragon flute; medium-pitched gagaku transverse flute
phosphorescent lights seen at sea at night; lights on a god's altar as an offering
longan (fruit)
dragon's den; dragon's lair · auspicious site (feng shui); dragon's lair (feng shui)
dragon flute; ryūteki
dragon vein; longmai
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Written forms 竜 Usage 40% i Usage for this spelling across all readings, not one reading alone.
龍 Usage 48% i Usage for this spelling across all readings, not one reading alone.
リュウ Usage 7%
りゅう Usage 6%
Kana spelling is common in children's materials and when avoiding kanji.
たつ
りょう
Etymology The kanji 竜 /龍 is a pictograph of a dragon. The reading りゅう is the Sino-Japanese on'yomi, while たつ is the native Japanese kun'yomi. りょう is a variant on'yomi used in some compounds.
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