noun
dragon; Chinese dragon
Typically refers to the East Asian dragon, a benevolent water deity, distinct from Western fire-breathing dragons.
See also: ドラゴン
竜は水の神様として崇められてきた。
Dragons have been worshipped as water deities.
中国の竜は西洋のドラゴンとはイメージが違う。
Chinese dragons have a different image from Western dragons.
noun
naga; serpent deity
In Hindu and Buddhist contexts, a semi-divine being often depicted as a human-cobra hybrid; sometimes translated as 'dragon' but distinct from the East Asian 竜.
仏教の経典にはナーガ（竜）が登場する。
Nagas (dragons) appear in Buddhist scriptures.
noun
promoted rook
Only with reading りゅう / りょう
Shogi abbreviation for 竜王 (promoted rook). Used only in shogi contexts.
See also: 竜王 (りゅうおう)
飛車が成ると竜になる。
When a rook promotes, it becomes a dragon (promoted rook).
Traditional kanji form, often used in names, art, and older texts.
Kana spelling is common in children's materials and when avoiding kanji.
The kanji 竜/龍 is a pictograph of a dragon. The reading りゅう is the Sino-Japanese on'yomi, while たつ is the native Japanese kun'yomi. りょう is a variant on'yomi used in some compounds.