龍 meaning and stroke order
Dragon; symbol of the emperor
How to write 龍, stroke by stroke
16 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 龍
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- Chinese dragon; loong
- (fig.) emperor
- dragon
- (bound form) dinosaur
How 龍 is built
Pictographic character. A dragon facing left and bending downwards.
How to remember 龍
龍 is a picture of a dragon facing left and bending downward. On the left you can spot 立 (lì) like its horned head and 月 like its body, while the zigzag strokes on the right are its scaly, curling back.
龍 is the traditional form; mainland China writes it 龙, which is what you see in most common words like 恐龙 (kǒnglóng, dinosaur) and 水龙头 (shuǐlóngtóu, faucet). It also appears in idioms such as 画龙点睛 (huàlóng-diǎnjīng, to add the finishing touch). Example: 端午节我们去看龍舟比赛。(Duānwǔ jié wǒmen qù kàn lóngzhōu bǐsài.) We go watch the dragon boat race at the Dragon Boat Festival.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up the simplified 龙 with 尤 (yóu) or 九 (jiǔ) because of the similar hooked shape. Also keep the second tone in lóng, not lǒng as in 拢.
Common words with 龍
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 恐龍 | kǒnglóng | dinosaur (CL:頭|头[tou2],隻|只[zhi1]); (old) (slang) ugly person | HSK 7-9 |
| 沙龍 | shālóng | salon (loanword) | HSK 7-9 |
| 水龍頭 | shuǐlóngtóu | faucet; tap | HSK 7-9 |
| 來龍去脈 | láilóng-qùmài | (lit.) the rise and fall of the terrain (idiom); (fig.) the whole sequence of events; caus | HSK 7-9 |
| 尼龍 | nílóng | (loanword) nylon | HSK 7-9 |
| 龍舟 | lóngzhōu | dragon boat; imperial boat | HSK 7-9 |
| 跑龍套 | pǎo lóngtào | to play a small role | HSK 7-9 |
| 畫龍點睛 | huàlóng-diǎnjīng | to paint a dragon and dot in the eyes (idiom); fig. to add the vital finishing touch; the | HSK 7-9 |
| 龍蝦 | lóngxiā | lobster | |
| 龍捲風 | lóngjuǎnfēng | tornado; hurricane | |
| 龍舌蘭 | lóngshélán | agave (genus of plants); (esp.) Agave americana; agave-based spirit; (esp.) tequila (disti | |
| 飛龍 | fēilóng | dragon in flight; (fig.) (literary) person at the height of success | |
| 成龍 | ChéngLóng | to succeed in life; to become somebody | |
| 龍頭 | lóngtóu | faucet; tap; bicycle handlebar |
Characters that contain 龍
Learning 龍 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 龍
How many strokes are in 龍?
龍 is written with 16 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 龍 mean?
龍 (lóng) means dragon; symbol of the emperor. A common word with it is 恐龙 (kǒnglóng), meaning "dinosaur (CL:頭|头[tou2],隻|只[zhi1]); (old) (slang) ugly person".
How do you pronounce 龍?
龍 is pronounced lóng, in the second tone (rising).
What is the simplified form of 龍?
龍 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 龙, used in mainland China and Singapore.
Why does 龙 appear in words like 尼龙 and 沙龙?
In 尼龙 (nílóng, nylon) and 沙龙 (shālóng, salon) the character is used for its sound in loanwords. It has nothing to do with dragons there.
Is the Chinese dragon seen as good or evil?
The Chinese 龍 is generally a positive symbol of power and good fortune, and it was linked to the emperor. That is why some people translate it as loong to separate it from the Western dragon.