竜巻(たつまき)

たつまき
noun
tornado; waterspout
weather
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.

Cultural note

Tornadoes are relatively rare in Japan compared to the United States, but do occur occasionally. Since 2016 Japan has rated tornadoes on its own Japanese Enhanced Fujita scale (JEFスケール), a revision of the Fujita Scale (藤田(ふじた)スケール) devised by the Japanese-American meteorologist Tetsuya Fujita.

Common patterns

Related Words

Related: 暴風(ぼうふう) (violent wind)
general
Added 2026.1.17 20:13 · Revised 2026.10.7 9:26
06000/06359_tatsumaki