Nailong fever has officially crossed the Pacific. The chubby yellow dragon often spotted lollygagging with his tongue out is now clogging up Western TikTok feeds in the form of sticker packs, dance edits and Gucci Bucket Hat memes.
In Indonesia, he’s known as “Dino Kuning,” while some in the West refer to him as “Chopped Charmander” due to his resemblance to the well-known Pokemon.
But what’s the yellow dragon cartoon character’s backstory? Here’s a recap of one of China’s biggest commercial IP exports since Ne Zha.
Who Is Nailoong, And Where Did He Come From?
Nailong (奶龙), meaning “milk dragon,” is a plump, digitally animated dinosaur-like creature born from the Shenzhen-based company Seventh Impression Culture & Media. Conceptualized by Xie Cheng’en and designed by Lu Siying, he debuted on January 22nd, 2020, via short clips on Douyin, China’s version of TikTok.
Unlike mascots that emerge from storylines, Nailong was built the other way around. He started as a standalone character designed for short-form virality and merchandising, with later videos fleshing out a role in which he goes on sci-fi escapades with a young human boy named Xiao Qi.
By 2024, the character had been licensed for plush toys, theme park attractions and branded partnerships across China and Southeast Asia.
What Are Some Chinese Memes About Nailong?
A prevalent meme format features two Nailongs facing off against each other and declaring “Wo Shi Nailong” (我是奶龙) or “I am Nailong,” with the video later being remixed into a popular dance trend in China.
@melody1020804 我是奶龍#奶龍 #艾特你列表第一位 ♬ 原聲 – 妤~(◍•ᴗ•◍) – 妤(˶╹ꇴ╹˶)
@2005lynnn_ ♬ 我是奶龙我才是奶龙 – 音乐馆🎶
But despite his cherubic and childlike features, Chinese internet users have also found endless joy in tormenting Nailong. Douyin clips, like this one posted on November 1st, 2024, by user 晓小姑娘, show different versions of Nailong being “boiled alive” or roughed up in various forms, garnering thousands or millions of views each.
On August 1st, TikToker @mayonayzeee uploaded a video explaining all these aspects of Nailong’s Chinese origins, gathering 900,000 plays in under a week.
@mayonayzeee some of the nailong lore – i am obsessed with him. 我是奶龙！#nailong #blindbox #collection #china #meme #funny #miniso ♬ original sound – may 🌼
When Did Nailong Start Gaining Traction On TikTok, And What’s The ‘Gucci Bucket Hat’ Meme?
Nailong began his Western takeover in late July 2025. On July 31st, TikToker @angelbanglebagel posted a Nailong compilation that racked up over 3 million views and 600,000 likes in one week.
By August 2nd, TikToker @itsme_hiiyes shared a montage of Nailong sticker GIFs that reached 9 million views and 2 million likes in just a few days.
@angelbanglebagel #nailong ♬ original sound – Angel
@itsme_hiiyes nailing stickers to use!! #nailong #dino #cute #sticker ♬ suara asli – 𖠋
By early August, Nailong became a staple feature in the Gucci Bucket Hat meme, a trend in which characters in Instagram Story screen recordings wear Gucci brand bucket hats and dance to the Pap Chanel x Future track of the same name.
Nailong’s virality in the West went parallel to the start of the meme in early August 2025, and before long, TikTokers like 21o_us3r were posting edits putting Nailong in Gucci bucket hats and gathering over 900,000 plays in mere days.
@21o_us3r me n my boyfriend in another lifetime🥰🥰! #fyp#nailong#xyzbca #foryoupage#viral#bfn ♬ Gucci Bucket Hat – Pap Chanel & Future
For the full history of Nailong, be sure to check out Know Your Meme’s encyclopedia entry for more information.