竜巻(たつまき)

たつまき
noun
tornado; waterspout
1. tornado; twister
A violent rotating column of air that forms over land, often causing destruction.
竜巻(たつまき)が発生(はっせい)した。
A tornado occurred.
竜巻(たつまき)で家(いえ)が壊(こわ)れた。
Houses were destroyed by the tornado.
竜巻(たつまき)注意報(ちゅういほう)が出(で)ているので気(き)をつけてください。
A tornado watch has been issued, so please be careful.
2. waterspout
A tornado-like phenomenon that forms over water.
海上(かいじょう)で竜巻(たつまき)を見(み)た。
I saw a waterspout at sea.
湖(みずうみ)の上(うえ)に竜巻(たつまき)が立(た)ち上(のぼ)った。
A waterspout rose up over the lake.
漁船(ぎょせん)が海上(かいじょう)の竜巻(たつまき)に巻(ま)き込(こ)まれた。
A fishing boat was caught in a waterspout at sea.

ETYMOLOGY:
竜(たつ) means "dragon" and 巻(まき) means "roll" or "coil." The name comes from the tornado's appearance resembling a coiling dragon descending from the sky.

WEATHER TERM:
Tornadoes are relatively rare in Japan compared to the United States, but do occur occasionally. Japan uses the Fujita Scale (藤田(ふじた)スケール) to measure tornado intensity.

COMMON PATTERNS:

general
Added 2026.1.17 20:13 · Revised 2026.7.2 0:22
06000/06359_tatsumaki