Chinese word

波涛

Pronunciation

Pinyinbō tāo

Meaning

  • nounwaves

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)

More examples

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.

Core concept

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

Common phrases

  • 波涛汹涌bō tāo xiōng yǒng

    turbulent waves

  • 波涛奔涌bō tāo bēn yǒng

    surging waves

  • 波涛拍岸bō tāo pāi àn

    waves pound the shore

Similar words

海浪hǎi làng: Waves on the sea form through the force of wind or tides.
波浪bō làng: Waves on the surface of the sea, a lake, or another body of water.
大浪dà làng: Very large waves with great height or force.
波澜bō lán: Large waves create broad rises and falls across the sea.

Definition in Chinese

海面上起伏的大浪，常指规模大、来势猛的波浪。hǎi miàn shàng qǐ fú de dà làng cháng zhǐ guī mó dà lái shì měng de bō làng

Word origin

波 (bō, "wave") + 涛 (tāo, "large wave") combines a general word for water's rise and fall with one for great waves, giving a term for powerful rolling seas.

Usage tips

  • 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 meanings

  • billowsnoun
  • rough wavesnoun

Related words

  • 波涛汹涌bō tāo xiōng yǒngturbulent wavesidiom
  • 波涛滚滚bō tāo gún gǔnrolling wavesidiom
  • 波涛声bō tāo shēngsound of wavesnoun

Word lists with this word