dragon; Chinese dragon
Typically refers to the East Asian dragon, a benevolent water deity, distinct from Western fire-breathing dragons.
See also: ドラゴン
竜は水の神様として崇められてきた。
Dragons have been worshipped as water deities.
naga; serpent deity
In Hindu and Buddhist contexts, a semi-divine being often depicted as a human-cobra hybrid; sometimes translated as 'dragon' but distinct from the East Asian 竜.
仏教の経典にはナーガ（竜）が登場する。
Nagas (dragons) appear in Buddhist scriptures.
promoted rook
Only with reading りゅう / りょう
Shogi abbreviation for 竜王 (promoted rook). Used only in shogi contexts.
See also: 竜王 (りゅうおう)
飛車が成ると竜になる。
When a rook promotes, it becomes a dragon (promoted rook).
Legend says a dragon guards the treasure.
中国の竜は西洋のドラゴンとはイメージが違う。
Chinese dragons have a different image from Western dragons.
The rook entered enemy territory and was promoted to a dragon.
The hero set out on a journey to slay the dragon.
The story's protagonist flew through the sky riding a dragon.
竜 is the generic word for a dragon, whereas 竜王 specifically refers to the mythological ruler or king of dragons.
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.
Used because 竜 (dragon) is treated as a creature, though being a legendary creature it may occasionally take other counters depending on context.
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
gateway to success; stepping stone to fame
rising dragon; great dash
watch crown; stem · canon (of a bell) · dragon-head shape; dragon-head crest
Standard modern kanji for dragon; high-frequency news and common usage.
Traditional kanji form, often used in names, art, and older texts.
Kana spelling is common in children's materials and when avoiding kanji.
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.
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