龙
The 龙 radical
Dragon
Variants: 龍
Memory hook
The traditional 龍 draws a horned head and a coiling body; the simplified 龙 keeps only the rearing shape: 龙年 (Year of the Dragon), 恐龙 (dinosaur).
The 龙 radical (read lóng) means dragon. The HSK 3.0 data contains 1 characters and 9 words built on it — learning them together is far faster than one character at a time.
Practise the 龙 radical
Study this radical's 9 words with flashcards or a quiz.
Characters with the 龙 radical
1 charactersHSK 3· 1 characters
HSK 3龙
dragon
Vocabulary with the 龙 radical
9 wordsWords containing at least one character with the 龙 radical, ordered by HSK level.
dragon
nylon (synthetic fabric)
dinosaur
the cause and development of a matter; the whole story from beginning to end
faucet, tap
salon; a cultural or artistic gathering
To dot the eyes on a dragon (from the story of painting a dragon). The figurative meaning is to add a crucial detail that makes the whole work or matter vivid and brings out its highlight.
to play an extra, to play a minor role (often in films or plays)
dragon boat
Why learn vocabulary by the 龙 radical?
The 龙 radical hints at the meaning dragon. When you meet an unfamiliar character carrying it, you already know part of its meaning before reaching for a dictionary — which is why learners who know their radicals move faster.
How to study: read the memory hook, skim the 1 characters to spot the pattern, then drill the 9 words with flashcards. Spaced repetition brings each word back exactly when you need it.