English–Chinese

“waves” in Chinese

Chinese

Also海浪 (hǎi làng)

Pronunciation

Pinyinbō tāo

Example

海上风很大，波涛很大，不要出海。hǎi shàng fēng hěn dà bō tāo hěn dà bú yào chū hǎi

The wind is strong at sea, and the waves are high, so don't go out to sea.

Illustration for 波涛 (waves)

How to say “waves” in Chinese

“Waves” in Chinese is 波涛 (bō tāo).

A broad, forceful rise and fall of seawater, seen as a moving mass rather than a single wave.

Full entry for 波涛: usage tips, similar words and word origin

Example sentences with 波涛

台风来临时，波涛击打堤岸，船只摇晃。tái fēng lái lín shí bō tāo jī dǎ dī àn chuán zhī yáo huàng

When a typhoon arrives, waves pound the seawall and boats rock.

Tips for using 波涛

  • 波涛 (bōtāo, "billows") has a literary, descriptive tone, so it is more natural in vivid sea scenes than in the most casual spoken exchanges.

Other Chinese words for “waves”

昨天晚上海浪一直很大。zuó tiān wǎn shàng hǎi làng yì zhí hěn dà

The waves were high all last night.

“waves” in other languages