龙 (lóng) — dragon (Chinese mythical creature, symbol of power and auspiciousness); imperial (in compounds referring to the emperor)
Definition
In Chinese culture 龙 (lóng) is the mythical dragon — a symbol of power, good fortune, and the emperor. In compounds like 龙袍 or 龙椅 it carries an imperial sense, distinct from the political term 帝国 ('empire').
noun
dragon (Chinese mythical creature, symbol of power and auspiciousness)imperial (in compounds referring to the emperor)
Measure word · 条
Easily confused
Examples
- 龙。lóng Shì zhōng guó wén huà zhōng zhòng yào de xiàng zhēng.The dragon is an important symbol in Chinese culture.
- 龙，龙。Míng nián shì lóng nián, hěn duō rén xiǎng shēng lóng bǎo bao.Next year is the Year of the Dragon, and many people want to have dragon babies.
- 龙。Gù gōng lǐ yǒu yì bǎ lóng yǐ.There is a dragon throne in the Forbidden City.
Origin
Pictograph六书liùshū
象形xiàngxíngA 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.
Appears in
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