also: ちょうじゃ
long snake
Literal meaning: a physically long snake. Not commonly used in everyday conversation; more often seen in literary or descriptive contexts.
I heard a story about seeing a long snake in the forest.
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.
A long line had formed even before the store opened.
There is always a long queue at the popular ramen shop.
greedy and cruel person; rapacious brute
long and serpentine
Standard kanji form; reading is ちょうだ.
Obsolete reading; modern standard is ちょうだ.
Compound of 長 (long) and 蛇 (snake). The figurative sense of a long line comes from the visual resemblance to a long snake.