应龙
yìng lóng
Winged dragon · trad. 應龍
应龙 (yìnglóng) refers to a specific, powerful divine dragon with wings in ancient Chinese mythology. It is often associated with rain, floods, and heroic deeds, such as assisting the Yellow Emperor.
When to use it
Formal and mythological. This term refers to a specific creature from Chinese folklore. If you want to describe any dragon that happens to have wings, you might use a more general descriptive phrase like 有翅膀的龙 (yǒu chìbǎng de lóng, 'dragon with wings').
How to pronounce it
Sounds like “EENG-LOONG.” The first syllable, 应, is a high, flat tone. The second syllable, 龙, is a rising tone.
Other ways to say it
- 有翅膀的龙yǒu chì bǎng de lóngdragon with wings (general description)
- 飞龙fēi lóngflying dragon
- 翼龙yì lóngwinged dragon (often used for pterosaurs, but can also mean mythical winged dragon)
Examples
应龙是中国古代神话中的一种神兽。
yìng lóng shì zhōng guó gǔ dài shén huà zhōng de yì zhǒng shén shòu 。
The Yinglong is a divine beast in ancient Chinese mythology.
传说应龙帮助黄帝战胜了蚩尤。
chuán shuō yìng lóng bāng zhù huáng dì zhàn shèng le chī yóu 。
Legend has it that the Yinglong helped the Yellow Emperor defeat Chiyou.
在西方奇幻故事里，常常有带翅膀的龙。
zài xī fāng qí huàn gù shì lǐ ， cháng cháng yǒu dài chì bǎng de lóng 。
In Western fantasy stories, there are often dragons with wings.
Pro tip: While 应龙 specifically refers to a mythical creature, if you simply want to describe a 'dragon with wings' in a general sense (e.g., in a fantasy novel), using 有翅膀的龙 is more flexible and less specific to Chinese mythology.
Related phrases
龙 · Dragon饺子 · Dumpling金龙 · Gold dragon
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