吹き荒れる

• Reading: ふきあれる
• Romaji: fukiareru
• Kanji breakdown: 吹 (fuki) — blow; 荒 (are) — rage, run wild
• Pronunciation: /ɸɯ.ki.a.ɾe.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To blow violently; to rage; to storm. Describes wind or figurative forces running rampant.

A Group 2 (ichidan) compound verb combining 吹く (fuku, to blow) and 荒れる (areru, to rage/go wild). Used for fierce storms and, metaphorically, for social upheaval, controversy, or violence that sweeps through a place uncontrolled. The metaphorical sense is common in journalism and literary prose.

Examples

1. 台風が列島を吹き荒れ、各地で甚大な被害をもたらした。 The typhoon raged across the archipelago, causing severe damage in many areas.
2. 解雇の嵐が業界全体に吹き荒れ、多くの人が職を失った。 A wave of layoffs swept through the entire industry, leaving many people without work.
3. 抗議運動の波が首都に吹き荒れている。 A tide of protest is raging through the capital.

Usage Guide

Context: weather, journalism, politics, narrative

Tone: dramatic

Origin & History

Compound formed from 吹く (blow) + 荒れる (rage). The combination emphasises wind as the agent of destructive power, and the metaphorical extension to social turmoil developed naturally in journalistic usage from the Meiji period onward.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Educated