A tsunami is a huge wave, or usually a series of waves, caused by something violent under the sea — most often an earthquake, sometimes a volcano or an undersea landslide. Out in deep water it is low and easy to miss; the danger comes when it reaches shallow water near land, where it piles up, floods far inland, and destroys everything in its path.

A tsunami海嘯 is a huge wave是巨大的海浪, or usually a series of waves通常是一連串的海浪, caused by something violent under the sea由海底某種劇烈的事件引起 — most often an earthquake最常見的是地震, sometimes a volcano or an undersea landslide有時候是火山或海底山崩. Out in deep water在深水裡 it is low and easy to miss它很低、容易被忽略; the danger comes危險在於 when it reaches shallow water near land當它到達靠近陸地的淺水時, where it piles up, floods far inland, and destroys everything in its path會堆高、淹進內陸很遠，摧毀沿途的一切.

Two things surprise learners. First, it is not one wave but several, and the first is often not the biggest — which is why people who go back to look after the first wave get killed. Second, English took this word straight from Japanese and kept the Japanese spelling, including that odd 'ts' at the start. Older English books called it a 'tidal wave', and you still hear that, but it is wrong: tides have nothing to do with it, and scientists and the news now say 'tsunami'.

Two things surprise learners有兩件事會讓學習者驚訝. First第一, it is not one wave but several它不是一個浪而是好幾個, and the first is often not the biggest而且第一個浪通常不是最大的 — which is why people who go back to look after the first wave get killed這就是為什麼有人在第一個浪過後跑回去看反而被淹死的原因. Second第二, English took this word straight from Japanese英文直接把這個字從日文借來 and kept the Japanese spelling並保留了日文的拼法, including that odd 'ts' at the start包括開頭那個奇怪的 'ts'. Older English books called it a 'tidal wave'早期的英文書把它叫做 'tidal wave', and you still hear that現在還聽得到這個講法, but it is wrong但是這是錯的: tides have nothing to do with it潮汐跟它一點關係都沒有, and scientists and the news now say 'tsunami'現在科學家和新聞都說 'tsunami'.

The word has a strong second life as a picture-word for any overwhelming rush of something: 'a tsunami of orders', 'a tsunami of criticism'. That use is fine in the news and in speech, but it is a strong image, so people avoid it in places where the real disaster is still raw.

The word has a strong second life這個字有很強的第二種用法 as a picture-word for any overwhelming rush of something用來比喻排山倒海而來的東西: 'a tsunami of orders'訂單如海嘯般湧來, 'a tsunami of criticism'排山倒海的批評. That use is fine in the news and in speech這種用法在新聞和口語裡都沒問題, but it is a strong image不過因為意象很強烈, so people avoid it in places where the real disaster is still raw所以在真正的海嘯災難記憶還很新的地方，大家會避免這樣用.

Since 2004 and 2011 the word carries real grief for many people, and a thoughtful speaker feels that.

Since 2004 and 2011自從 2004 年和 2011 年的海嘯之後 the word carries real grief for many people這個字對很多人來說帶著真實的傷痛, and a thoughtful speaker feels that體貼的人說話時會感覺到這一點.