翼竜

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 翼竜, read よくりゅう, means a pterosaur, an extinct flying reptile.
• Basic usage: It may be represented by a museum skeleton or illustrated flying over the sea in a picture book.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• A pterosaur distinct from the mythical 竜
  • 翼竜 denotes an extinct pterosaur and should be distinguished from the mythical dragon 竜. The skeleton model and illustration are representations of the same creature, not separate senses.