波浪
bōlàng
In Chinese, the English word 'wave' (as a moving disturbance or undulation) is typically expressed as 波浪 (bōlàng). Wiktionary also lists 波 (bō) and 浪 (làng).
Meaning: moving disturbance, undulation (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 波浪 | bōlàng |
| 波 | bō |
| 浪 | làng |
波浪 is the standard noun used to describe the physical undulations of water in a general sense.
Which one should you use?
The forms used for 'wave' differ based on context. The single character 波 is often used in scientific or technical terms, such as 'sound waves' (声波) or 'radio waves' (电波). In contrast, 波浪 is more descriptive of physical water waves. The single character 浪 often carries a connotation of being large, unruly or excessive, such as in 'waves crashing' or 'surging waves'.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
bōlàng
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers may mistakenly use 波浪 to mean 'to wave one's hand'. However, 波浪 is strictly a noun for a physical wave. To describe the action of waving, use the verbs 招手 or 挥手.
Did you know?
- While 波 is used for scientific terms, it is also the character used in the word for 'ball', which is a phonetic borrowing from English.
Examples in context
- 海上的波浪很大。Hǎishàng de bōlàng hěn dà.The waves on the sea are very large.
- 他在看海边的波浪。Tā zài kàn hǎibiān de bōlàng.He is watching the waves by the seaside.
- 这些波浪非常美。Zhèxiē bōlàng fēicháng měi.These waves are very beautiful.
Example conversation
Wei and Yuting are standing on a beach.
- 伟 Wei雨婷，你看那些波浪！Yǔtíng, nǐ kàn nàxiē bōlàng!Yuting, look at those waves!
- 雨婷 Yuting哇，真的好高啊。Wa, zhēnde hǎo gāo a.Wow, they are really high.
- 伟 Wei我们离波浪远一点吧。Wǒmen lí bōlàng yuǎn yīdiǎn ba.Let's move a bit further from the waves.
- 雨婷 Yuting好，我们走那边。Hǎo, wǒmen zǒu nàbiān.Okay, let's go that way.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “wave” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 波, 浪, CC BY-SA 4.0.
