长龙 (cháng lóng) — a long queue / line (of people or vehicles)

Definition

长龙 (chánglóng) is a vivid image word meaning 'a long queue / line' — literally 'long dragon'. Used for people or vehicles lined up, often to emphasize the length.

noun
a long queue / line (of people or vehicles)
Measure word · 条

Examples

  • 长龙。
    Chūn jié qián huǒ chē zhàn mén kǒu pái qǐ le yì tiáo cháng lóng.
    A long queue formed at the train station entrance before the Spring Festival.
  • ，长龙。
    Gāo sù gōng lù shàng dǔ chē, qì chē pái chéng le cháng lóng.
    There was a traffic jam on the highway, and cars lined up like a long dragon.
  • ，长龙。
    Zhè jiā diàn kāi yè dì yī tiān, gù kè pái chéng le cháng lóng.
    On the first day of its opening, customers formed a long queue in front of the shop.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

长chánglong
龙lóngdragon

长龙 joins 长 and 龙, giving the image of a long dragon used for a line.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 長; 长 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 長 pictures an old man with long hair. The simplified 长 is a later shorthand, so its strokes do not show that original picture.

Open 长 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 龍; 龙 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 龍 originally drew a sacred creature with a large mouth and a snake-like body; the simplified 龙 is the form written here.

Open 龙 →

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