The Western concept of the dragon is that of a tyrannical beast that bringing fire and destruction; it is something to be killed: Indeed, killing a dragon may well be the way to sainthood!
In the Chinese mind the dragon is an altogether different creature. It is a bringer of good luck and bountiful harvests, a symbol of power and wisdom. Legend has it the Chinese are decedents of the dragon. If a Chinese person were to spot a dragon the last thing they would think of would be to kill it!
How we see the world is framed by our cultural reference points. Whilst confidence and security in who we are is essential, ignorance of others provides fertile soil for the seeds of misunderstanding.
A shared mythical creature and a directly translatable word, yet our understandings are about 5,000 years apart! Getting it right in China is not easy: It isn’t easy for most Chinese! Clearly, understanding each other is more than a matter of words.