青龙 (qīng lóng) — Azure Dragon (mythological guardian of the east, symbol of spring, one of the Four Symbols)

Definition

Azure Dragon — the mythic guardian of the east and a symbol of spring, one of the Four Symbols (四象). In modern Chinese the literal "green/blue dragon" sense also names places and street names.

noun
Azure Dragon (mythological guardian of the east, symbol of spring, one of the Four Symbols)
Measure word · 条

Examples

  • ，青龙。
    Zài zhōng guó chuán tǒng wén huà lǐ, qīng lóng shì sì xiàng zhī yī.
    In traditional Chinese culture, the Azure Dragon is one of the Four Symbols.
  • 青龙，。
    qīng lóng Dài biǎo dōng fāng, yě xiàng zhēng chūn tiān de dào lái.
    The Azure Dragon represents the east and also symbolizes the arrival of spring.
  • 青龙。
    Nà ge sì miào de mén shàng huà zhe yì tiáo qīng lóng.
    The door of that temple is painted with an Azure Dragon.

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.

青qīngazure
龙lóngdragon

“青” describes the color and “龙” names the dragon.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

An early form of 青 combined 生 and 井, both used for sound; the modern form has changed.

Open 青 →

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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