七龙珠
qī lóng zhū
七龙珠 (qī lóng zhū) is the Chinese way to say Dragon Ball.
七龙珠 refers to the name of the popular Japanese manga and anime series.
What does it mean word for word?
The name literally translates to seven dragon pearls: 七 means seven, 龙 means dragon and 珠 means ball or pearl.
Which one should you use?
The standard Mandarin Chinese translation for 'Dragon Ball' is 龙珠.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Taiwanese Hokkien, the unofficial Chinese translation for 'Dragon Ball' is 龍珠.
How do you pronounce it?
qī lóng zhū
Did you know?
- Chinese folklore often features dragons chasing a flaming pearl, a visual motif that mirrors the search for the 龙珠 in the series.
- While the series is a Japanese creation, the name 七龙珠 relies on a classic Chinese mythological motif of the 'dragon pearl' which represents wisdom and energy.
- In Mainland China, the character 龙 is used as the simplified version, whereas in Taiwan, the traditional character 龍 is required.
Examples in context
- 我小时候很喜欢看七龙珠。Wǒ xiǎoshíhòu hěn xǐhuān kàn Qī Lóng Zhū.I used to love watching Dragon Ball when I was a child.
- 你买过七龙珠的周边产品吗？Nǐ mǎiguò Qī Lóng Zhū de zhōubiān chǎnpǐn ma?Have you ever bought any Dragon Ball merchandise?
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing their favorite childhood cartoons.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen你还记得七龙珠吗？Nǐ hái jìdé Qī Lóng Zhū ma?Do you still remember Dragon Ball?
- 志强 Zhiqiang当然记得，那是我的最爱。Dāngrán jìdé, nà shì wǒ de zuì'ài.Of course I remember, it was my favorite.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen我也觉得七龙珠非常经典。Wǒ yě juédé Qī Lóng Zhū fēicháng jīngdiǎn.I also think Dragon Ball is a true classic.
- 志强 Zhiqiang没错，真的很怀念那时候。Méi cuò, zhēn de hěn huáiniàn nà shíhòu.Exactly, I really miss those times.
