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波涛汹涌 (bō tāo xiōng yǒng) — (idiom) waves surging; turbulent waters; (figurative) a situation full of upheaval or intense emotion

Definition

Literary idiom for huge waves crashing with great force, often used figuratively for intense turmoil or emotion. More vivid and dramatic than everyday words like 大浪.

idiom
waves surgingturbulent waters(figurative) a situation full of upheaval or intense emotion

Examples

  • 波涛汹涌，。
    Hǎi miàn shàng bō tāo xiōng yǒng, chuán zhī hěn nán háng xíng.
    The sea was rough with surging waves, making it very difficult for ships to sail.
  • 波涛汹涌？
    Nǐ jiàn guò bō tāo xiōng yǒng de dà hǎi ma?
    Have you ever seen a sea with roaring waves?
  • ，波涛汹涌，。
    Zhàn zài àn biān, kàn zhe bō tāo xiōng yǒng, lìng rén zhèn hàn.
    Standing on the shore and watching the surging waves is awe-inspiring.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
主谓zhǔwèiSubject + predicate

A small sentence frozen into a word: something, and what it does or is.

波涛waves
波bōwave涛tāobig wave
联合Coordinate
汹涌surging
汹xiōngturbulent涌yǒngsurge
联合Coordinate

“波” wave + “涛” big wave + “汹” turbulent + “涌” surge gives waves surging and roaring.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
皮
皮pí波bō
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The left side 氵 is water, and the right side 皮 gives the sound.

Open 波 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 濤; 涛 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
氵Written in full as水shuǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
壽
壽shòu濤tāo
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 濤 pairs 氵 (water) with 壽, which gives the sound; the simplified 涛 is a shortened form.

Open 涛 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 湧; 涌 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
勇
勇yǒng湧yǒng
Same sound today

The traditional form 湧 has 水 (water) and 勇, where 勇 gives the sound. The simplified 涌 is a later shorthand.

Open 涌 →
Appears in
HSK 2.0 Level 6

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