突風
toppū[to̞p̚pɯ̟ː]
The Japanese word for blast is 突風 (toppū).
Depending on what you mean by blast, other terms may be more appropriate: use 爆発 to describe the technical or formal act of an explosion, 爆風 to describe the actual blast of air or shockwave produced by an explosion or the informal phrase すごい音 to refer to an amazing or very loud sound.
Meaning: explosion (noun)
Which one should you use?
While 突風 refers to a gust of wind, 爆風 is used to describe the specific blast of air or pressure caused by an explosion. If you are referring to the general event of an explosion, use 爆発.
How do you pronounce it?
toppū
Did you know?
- In modern slang, the prefix 爆 can be added to verbs to mean doing something 'with a blast' or intensely, such as 爆買い for 'explosive buying' or binge shopping.
- While 突風 describes a gust, the term 神風 or 'divine wind' refers to a legendary blast that saved Japan from invasion, blending weather with mythology.
- While 突風 means a blast of wind, the character 突 can be used in the word 突発, which describes a sudden, unexpected outburst or an explosion of emotion. This shows how Japanese links physical suddenness to psychological eruptions.
Examples in context
- 突風が吹きました。toppu ga fukimashita.A sudden blast of wind blew.
- 突風で帽子が飛ばされました。toppu de boushi ga tobasaremashita.My hat was blown away by a blast of wind.
Example conversation
Walking outside in a sudden storm.
- 健太 Kentaすごい突風だね！sugoi toppu dane!It's a huge blast of wind!
- 美咲 Misaki本当に、びっくりしたよ。hontou ni, bikkuri shita yo.Really, I was startled.
- 健太 Kenta美咲、大丈夫？Misaki, daijoubu?Misaki, are you okay?
- 美咲 Misakiうん、風が強すぎるね。un, kaze ga tsuyosugiru ne.Yeah, the wind is too strong.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 突風, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
