Japanese symbol for “dragon”
竜
りゅう
Romaji: ryuu
dragon (esp. a Chinese dragon)
In Japanese, dragon is 竜, read りゅう (ryuu).
Before using these characters for a tattoo, check them with a native speaker. Dictionary words often have several meanings, and the right choice depends on context.
Meanings
- n dragon (esp. a Chinese dragon)
- n naga; semi-divine human-cobra chimera in Hindu and Buddhist mythology
- n promoted rook (shogi)
Written forms: 竜、龍. Readings: りゅう、たつ、りょう.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “dragon”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 辰 | たつ tatsu | the Dragon (fifth sign of the Chinese zodiac) |
| ドラゴン | ドラゴン doragon | dragon (as depicted in Western myths) |
| 大石 | たいせき taiseki | dragon; long group of connected stones spanning a wide area |
| 竜座 | りゅうざ ryuuza | Draco (constellation); the Dragon |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 恐竜 | きょうりゅう kyouryuu | dinosaur |
| 竜巻 | たつまき tatsumaki | tornado; whirlwind; waterspout |
| 竜王 | りゅうおう ryuuou | Dragon King |
| 登竜門 | とうりゅうもん touryuumon | gateway to success |
| 竜宮 | りゅうぐう ryuuguu | Palace of the Dragon King; palace from the story of Urashima Tarō (said to be located at the bottom of the sea) |
| 竜馬 | りゅうめ ryuume | splendid horse |
See also: Chinese symbol for “dragon”.
Data: JMdict (CC BY-SA 4.0); KANJIDIC2 (CC BY-SA 4.0); KanjiVG (CC BY-SA 3.0); wordfreq (CC BY-SA 4.0 (data)). Retrieved 2026-10-22.