The Japanese word for dragon is ryū (traditional Japanese) and doragon (English loanword). Find these and other dragon related words below.
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| Romanji | Kanji | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Dragon りゅう | Ryū | 竜 | |
| Dragon (English loanword) ドラゴン | Doragon | None | |
| Dragon dance From Chinese culture. りゅうまい | Ryūmai | 龍舞 | |
| Dragon boat Used in Okinawa for racing. ひりょう | Hiryō | 飛竜 |
Interesting facts about dragons in Japan
Dragons in Japan symbolize strength, power and authority. These beasts are also common in Chinese mythology but there’s slight differences between the Japanese and Chinese versions. For example, the Japanese dragon has three toes whereas Chinese ones usually have four toes. Read more about the differences here.