暴風

• Reading: ぼうふう
• Romaji: boufuu
• Kanji breakdown: 暴 (bō) — violent, savage; 風 (fū) — wind
• Pronunciation: /boː.ɸɯː/

Meaning

Windstorm; gale; violent wind. Wind of destructive intensity, typically exceeding Beaufort scale 10 and capable of causing significant structural damage.

A compound used in weather forecasting and disaster reporting. 暴風 is a formal meteorological term that appears in official warnings (暴風警報). It is distinguished from 強風 (strong wind) by its greater intensity and associated hazard level. In compound forms, 暴風雨 (stormy rain) and 暴風雪 (blizzard) describe severe mixed-weather events. The character 暴 carries connotations of violence and uncontrolled force.

Examples

1. 台風直撃により、沿岸部では暴風と高波で建物の一部が倒壊した。 When the typhoon made a direct hit, part of a building on the coast collapsed under the force of gale-force winds and high waves.
2. 暴風警報が発令され、学校や公共施設が一斉に閉鎖された。 A windstorm warning was issued and schools and public facilities were closed all at once.
3. 砂漠地帯では暴風が砂を巻き上げ、数百メートル先が見えなくなることがある。 In desert regions, gales whip up sand and can reduce visibility to zero hundreds of metres away.

Usage Guide

Context: weather, natural disasters, news

Tone: serious

Origin & History

Sino-Japanese compound. 暴 (bō) means violent or uncontrolled, and 風 (fū) means wind. Together they describe wind of dangerous, destructive intensity — going beyond mere strong wind.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical–Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal