Ryu Japanese name meaning & kanji
龍
A boy name with 2 common kanji spellings. The most typical, 龍, combines dragon.
Parents in Japan who choose the boy’s name Ryu (りゅう) also choose its kanji. This page lists 2 kanji spellings, from 龍 (dragon) to 竜 (dragon). If you are browsing by meaning, you will also find Ryu under strength & courage. Familiar forms include りゅうくん, りゅうちゃん and りゅーちゃん.
- Hiragana
- りゅう
- Katakana
- リュウ
- Romaji (Hepburn)
- Ryū
- Morae
- 2 りゅう
- Gender
- Boy
Ryu kanji meaning breakdown
The same name can be written with different characters. Parents choose the kanji for its meaning.
龍
龍 is a single kanji meaning “dragon”.
- 龍dragon
竜
竜 is a single kanji meaning “dragon”.
- 竜dragon
How to pronounce Ryu
Break Ryu into its 2 kana beats — ryu · u — and keep them evenly spaced. In Hepburn romaji it is spelled Ryū; the macron marks the long vowel, which everyday English spelling usually drops, giving “Ryu”. Japanese vowels are short and clear: a as in “father”, i as in “machine”, u as in “food” (with unrounded lips), e as in “met”, o as in “more”.
| Beat | Kana | Katakana | Romaji | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | りゅ | リュ | ryu | one beat: the small kana merges with the one before it |
| 2 | う | ウ | u | lengthens the vowel before it, so hold that sound for a second beat |
See the guide to morae and romaji.
Nicknames
How friends and family might shorten Ryu. See the guide to -chan and -kun.
- りゅうくんryū-kun
- りゅうちゃんryū-chan
- りゅーちゃんryu-chan
As a full name
Example pairings with common surnames. In Japanese the surname comes first.
Quick answers
- What does Ryu mean in Japanese?
- It depends on the kanji. Written 龍, Ryu means “dragon”. Other spellings: 竜 (dragon).
- How do you write Ryu in Japanese?
- In hiragana りゅう, in katakana リュウ, and in kanji most typically 龍 (also 竜).
- Is Ryu a boy's or a girl's name?
- Ryu is listed here as a boy's name.
- How do you pronounce Ryu?
- Ryu has 2 morae: ryu · u (りゅう). Hepburn romaji: Ryū.
Related names that share a kanji
Other names written with one of the characters in Ryu.
Names with the same meaning
Names whose kanji also mean strength & courage.
More boy names
Next to Ryu in the boy names list.
Read more
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