<p>According to <a href="http://www2.ouc.edu.cn/cpeo/oceanography/ziyuan/tech/chapter8/6.htm" rel="nofollow">this</a> webpage from the <em>Ocean University of China</em>, '风浪'='wind wave', and '涌浪'='swell'.<br>
That webpage also gives the following definitions:<br>
风浪(wind wave): They are generated by the wind, restored by gravity, and progress in a particular direction.<br>
涌浪(swell):When the waves move out of the storm center, forced waves become free waves moving at speeds due to their periods and wavelengths. Once away from the storm these long-period, uniform waves are called swell.</p>

<p>According to the Wikipedia definition of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swell_%28ocean%29" rel="nofollow">Swell (ocean)</a>, the swells are
"<em>These series of surface gravity waves are not generated by the immediate local wind, instead by distant weather systems, where wind blows for a duration of time over a fetch of water. This is the primary definition of a swell as <strong>opposed to a locally generated wind wave</strong>, which is still under the influence of the mechanisms that created it e.g. Wind blowing over a puddle.</em>"</p>

<p>To my understanding, '风浪' has two meanings. The broader meaning refers to all waves generated by wind blowing; the narrower meaning refers to "a locally generated wind wave, which is still under the influence of the mechanisms that created it", to distinguish from '涌浪'. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-11-11T06:35:51.033Z
2015-11-11T06:35:51.033Z
user12075
<p>As far as I can tell, 风浪 is waves created by wind, and 涌浪 would be waves created by tidal movements or surge waves. However, this is a very bulky way to describe them. What is the English for this difference, besides just "wave"?</p>

<p>Google translate offers the alternative options of 风浪: wind and waves, storm; for  涌浪: swell, surge 
English has "storm surge", but that's not really helping. </p>

<translation><meaning><word-choice><mandarin><synonyms>
What is the difference (and english translation) between 风浪 and 涌浪?
# What is the difference (and english translation) between 风浪 and 涌浪?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-11-11)

As far as I can tell, 风浪 is waves created by wind, and 涌浪 would be waves created by tidal movements or surge waves. However, this is a very bulky way to describe them. What is the English for this difference, besides just "wave"?

Google translate offers the alternative options of 风浪: wind and waves, storm; for 涌浪: swell, surge
English has "storm surge", but that's not really helping.

**Tags:** translation, meaning, word-choice, mandarin, synonyms


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2015-11-11. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

According to [this](http://www2.ouc.edu.cn/cpeo/oceanography/ziyuan/tech/chapter8/6.htm) webpage from the *Ocean University of China*, '风浪'='wind wave', and '涌浪'='swell'.  
That webpage also gives the following definitions:  
风浪(wind wave): They are generated by the wind, restored by gravity, and progress in a particular direction.  
涌浪(swell):When the waves move out of the storm center, forced waves become free waves moving at speeds due to their periods and wavelengths. Once away from the storm these long-period, uniform waves are called swell.

According to the Wikipedia definition of [Swell (ocean)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swell_%28ocean%29), the swells are
"*These series of surface gravity waves are not generated by the immediate local wind, instead by distant weather systems, where wind blows for a duration of time over a fetch of water. This is the primary definition of a swell as **opposed to a locally generated wind wave**, which is still under the influence of the mechanisms that created it e.g. Wind blowing over a puddle.*"

To my understanding, '风浪' has two meanings. The broader meaning refers to all waves generated by wind blowing; the narrower meaning refers to "a locally generated wind wave, which is still under the influence of the mechanisms that created it", to distinguish from '涌浪'.


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