汹涌

• Pinyin: xiōng yǒng
• Hanzi breakdown: 汹 = 氵 + 凶 (turbulent water); 涌 = 氵 + 甬 (surge/well up)

Meaning

To surge or billow turbulently; of waves, crowds, or forces moving in a powerful, uncontrollable rush.

Primarily describes water surging violently, but extends metaphorically to crowds, emotions, or social forces that well up with overwhelming momentum.

Examples

1. 台风过境后，海浪汹涌澎湃，附近所有渔船均被紧急通知禁止出海作业。 After the typhoon passed, the waves surged violently, and all nearby fishing boats were urgently ordered not to go out to sea.
2. 广场上汹涌的人潮向出口涌去，维序工作人员费尽全力才勉强控制住局面。 A surging crowd in the square rushed toward the exits, and the staff struggled desperately to barely keep things under control.
3. 内心汹涌的情绪让她无法平静，她在房间里踱步良久，才渐渐恢复理智。 The emotions surging inside her wouldn’t let her calm down; she paced in the room for a long time before gradually regaining her composure.

Usage Guide

Context: nature, literature, crowds, emotions

Tone: intense

Do Say

• 洪水汹涌，救援队员冒着生命危险将被困群众一一转移至安全地带。(The floodwaters surged violently; rescue workers risked their lives to evacuate every trapped resident to safety.)
• 民间汹涌的舆论压力促使政府在短时间内重新审视并修订了该项争议政策。(The surging public opinion pressure prompted the government to quickly review and revise the controversial policy.)

Don't Say

• 汹涌的阅读量 — 汹涌 implies turbulent, uncontrollable surging; for rapidly growing readership use 激增 or 暴涨; 汹涌 requires physical or forceful momentum

Origin & History

汹 (turbulent water) + 涌 (surge/well up) — violent surging of water or forces

Cultural Context

Era: Traditional to Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal