Chinese dragon

Chinese Dragon

The Azure Dragon depicted on the flag of the Qing dynasty
Grouping	Mythical creature
Sub grouping	Dragon
Folklore	Chinese mythology
Country	China

Chinese dragon
"Dragon" in oracle bone script (top left), bronze script (top right), seal script (middle left), Traditional (middle right), Japanese new-style (shinjitai, bottom left), and Simplified (bottom right) Chinese characters
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	龍
Simplified Chinese	龙
Literal meaning	Dragon In Asian, including Asian Cultural, Including East Asian Cultural Translations, including Asian Translations, including East Asian Translations
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin lóng Bopomofo ㄌㄨㄥˊ Gwoyeu Romatzyh Lighu Júng Wade–Giles lung2 Tongyong Pinyin Lihúng Juhng Yale Romanization Liuháng Humng MPS2 Ligu húng IPA [lʊ̌ŋ] other Mandarin Xiao'erjing تنين Dungan Лонг Sichuanese Pinyin Lihú4 ng4 Wu Romanization Luhí平-ng入 Shanghainese Romanization lon3 Suzhounese lón Gan Romanization Liú hng Xiang IPA Lihú33-ng24 Hakka Romanization Líhúng24-áng2 Pha̍k-fa-sṳ Líhúng-ng Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization lùhng Jyutping lung4 IPA [lʊŋ˩] Southern Min Hokkien POJ Líuh-ng Tâi-lô lîng (col.) liông (lit.) Eastern Min Fuzhou BUC Lhioung-hong Pu-Xian Min Hinghwa BUC Lhoiun-hong Northern Min Jian'ou Romanized Lhoi-hong Middle Chinese Middle Chinese lɨoŋ Old Chinese Baxter–Sagart (2014) *mə-roŋ Zhengzhang *b·roŋ or *mroːŋ
Vietnamese name
Vietnamese alphabet	Long
Chữ Hán	龍
Korean name
Hangul	용
Hanja	龍
Transcriptions Revised Romanization yong McCune–Reischauer yong
Japanese name
Kanji	竜 / 龍
Transcriptions Romanization ryū

The Chinese dragon (Chinese: 龍; pinyin: lóng), also loong, is a legendary creature in Chinese mythology, Chinese folklore, and Chinese culture at large.^[1] Chinese dragons have many animal-like forms such as turtles and fish, but are most commonly depicted as snake-like with four legs. Academicians have identified four reliable theories on the origin of the Chinese dragon: snakes, Chinese alligators, thunder worship and nature worship.^[2] They traditionally symbolize potent and auspicious powers, particularly control over water.^[3]