波涛汹涌

波濤洶湧

bōtāoxiōngyǒng

idiom

Meanings

1 surging waves; roaring seas
2 turbulent; (fig.) churning emotions or tumultuous times

Characters

billow; large wave

Examples

台风过后，海面波涛汹涌。

Táifēng guòhòu, hǎimiàn bōtāoxiōngyǒng.

After the typhoon, the sea surged with roaring waves.

他表面平静，内心却波涛汹涌。

Tā biǎomiàn píngjìng, nèixīn què bōtāoxiōngyǒng.

On the surface he was calm, but inside he was churning.

Tips

history

Recorded in 《三国志·吴书》 commentary: Cao Pi of Wei, standing on the north bank at Guangling, saw the Yangtze "with its waves surging and crashing" and sighed that heaven itself had divided north from south.

usage

Often literal for seas/rivers, and very common in figurative use for inner turmoil — 内心波涛汹涌 is a writing cliché for hidden emotion.

Stroke Order

波 bō

涛 tāo

汹 xiōng

涌 yǒng