波
nami[na̠mʲi]
The English word 'wave' translates to Japanese as 波 (nami). Wiktionary also lists 周波 (shūha).
Meaning: moving disturbance, undulation (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 波 | nami | [na̠mʲi] (narrow) |
| 周波 | shūha | [ɕɨːha̠] (narrow) |
The noun 波 refers to a moving disturbance or undulation.
Which one should you use?
波 is the noun used for a physical or metaphorical wave. If you want to describe the action of waving one's hand, use the verb 振る instead.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
nami
Did you know?
- In Japanese, the phrase 波長が合う literally means 'wavelengths match' but is used to say two people have a similar vibe or get along well.
- In traditional Japanese art, such as the famous 'Great Wave off Kanagawa', the 波 is often depicted with 'claws' to emphasize its power.
- The kanji used for waves, 波, was historically part of an 'ateji' system used to phonetically spell out the name of the country 'Poland' as 波蘭 (Porando).
Examples in context
- 波に足をすくわれた。The wave knocked me off my feet.This sentence is useful for seeing how 波 describes a physical wave in water.Tatoeba #121662 by small_snow, translation #2805631 by CK
- この地方を寒波が襲った。A cold wave hit this district.This sentence shows how 波 is used in the term for a cold wave.Tatoeba #220574 by bunbuku, translation #57896 by CM
- 子供が波にさらわれたぞ！A child was washed away by the wave!This sentence demonstrates the use of 波 regarding a wave in water.Tatoeba #2248566 by bunbuku, translation #2595687 by WestofEden
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two people are watching the ocean from a beach.
- 結衣 Yuiあの波、すごく大きいね。Ano nami, sugoku ookii ne.That wave is really big, isn't it?
- 健太 Kenta本当だ。迫力があるね。Hontou da. Hakuryoku ga aru ne.You're right. It's quite powerful.
- 結衣 Yui少し離れて見ていよう。Sukoshi hanarete mite iyou.Let's watch it from a little distance.
- 健太 Kentaそうだね。危ないからね。Sou da ne. Abunai kara ne.Good idea. It might be dangerous.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “wave” translations and entries 波, 周波, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 波, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
