风浪

• Pinyin: fēng làng
• Hanzi breakdown: 风 = 几 + 虫 (wind, air movement); 浪 = 氵 + 良 (water radical + good/fine — large waves, surging)

Meaning

Wind and waves; used both literally (storms at sea) and figuratively (hardships, upheavals, and turbulent times).

In its literal sense, refers to the combined force of wind and waves. Figuratively, 风浪 describes the trials and upheavals of life or society. 见过风浪 (to have seen wind and waves) means to be experienced and unshakeable.

Examples

1. 这艘渔船在出海时遭遇了罕见的强风浪，船员们凭借多年积累的航海经验和彼此间的默契配合，最终安全返回了港口。 This fishing boat encountered unusually heavy winds and waves at sea, but the crew relied on years of experience and seamless teamwork to return safely to port.
2. 在商界摸爬滚打了三十年，他早已见惯了大风浪，面对此次行业危机，反而显得比年轻的同僚们更加镇定自若。 After thirty years battling it out in business, he has seen plenty of storms; facing this industry crisis, he is actually calmer than his younger colleagues.
3. 历史上每一次重大的社会变革都必然伴随着剧烈的风浪，只有深刻理解这种阵痛的必然性，才能从更宏观的视角评价变革的历史意义。 Every major social transformation in history is bound to come with violent turbulence; only by understanding the inevitability of that pain can we assess the transformation’s historical significance from a broader perspective.

Usage Guide

Context: maritime, business, biography, social

Tone: serious

Do Say

• 创业从来不一帆风顺，成功企业家背后都有一段风浪，正是这些经历塑造了他们的沉稳。(Entrepreneurship is never smooth; behind every successful entrepreneur lies a period of storms, and those experiences shape their composure.)
• 研究这段历史时必须看到社会动荡的全貌，因为最激烈的风浪往往决定历史走向。(When studying this history, we must see the full picture of social turmoil, because the fiercest storms often determine the course of history.)

Don't Say

• 风浪 for minor everyday difficulties — it implies significant turbulence or adversity; for small troubles, use 困难 or 麻烦

Origin & History

风 (wind) + 浪 (waves/surging water) — wind-driven waves; combined force of wind and water; by extension, hardship and turbulence

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal