Translation guide
Describes something noisy, chaotic, disorderly, or emotionally turbulent. The best Japanese word depends on whether you mean a loud uproar, a violent disturbance, or inner turmoil.
Describing a situation with a lot of loud noise, confusion, and disorder, like a rowdy crowd or a wild party.
The most common and versatile word for a noisy, chaotic environment. It can describe places, events, or people.
会場は騒々しい歓声に包まれた。
The venue was filled with tumultuous cheers.
騒々しいパーティーで声が聞こえなかった。
I couldn't hear anything at the tumultuous party.
Similar to 騒々しい but often implies an annoying or unpleasant level of noise. Can also mean 'strict' or 'fussy' in other contexts.
隣の部屋が喧しくて眠れない。
The next room is so tumultuous I can't sleep.
A noun meaning 'uproar' or 'hubbub'. Often used in written descriptions of a noisy, bustling scene.
街の喧騒から離れて静かな場所に行きたい。
I want to get away from the tumultuous noise of the city and go somewhere quiet.
Describing a situation that is not just noisy but also physically turbulent, violent, or out of control, like a riot or a stormy sea.
A verb meaning 'to rage' or 'to be wild'. Used for storms, seas, or violent crowds. Conveys a sense of violent, uncontrolled motion.
荒れ狂う海に船が飲み込まれた。
The ship was swallowed by the tumultuous sea.
デモ隊が荒れ狂って窓ガラスを割った。
The demonstrators became tumultuous and smashed windows.
A noun meaning 'violent upheaval' or 'turmoil'. Often used for historical periods, political situations, or dramatic changes.
A noun meaning 'great storm' or 'wild state'. Commonly used for weather, but can also describe a meeting or event that becomes chaotic.
Describing inner turmoil, intense and conflicting emotions, or a period of life filled with emotional ups and downs.
Also used for emotional or personal upheaval. '激動の人生' means a life full of dramatic changes and turmoil.
彼女は激動の半生を語った。
She spoke about her tumultuous life.
A phrase meaning 'to have intense emotional ups and downs'. Describes a person or a period characterized by emotional turbulence.
思春期は感情の起伏が激しい時期だ。
Adolescence is a tumultuous period of emotional ups and downs.
A verb meaning 'to agonize' or 'to be in turmoil' internally. Focuses on the feeling of being troubled and unable to find peace.
将来について悶々としている。
I'm feeling tumultuous about the future.
騒々しい is the most general and neutral for 'noisy/chaotic'. 喧しい often carries a negative nuance of being annoyingly loud. 喧騒 is a formal noun for 'hubbub' and is common in writing.
English 'tumultuous' implies a high degree of chaos and often emotional intensity. For simple loudness, use うるさい or 騒がしい. Reserve the words in this guide for situations with disorder, violence, or emotional upheaval.
激動の時代を生き抜く。
Survive tumultuous times.
The sea is tumultuous today.
A four-character idiom meaning 'stormy and full of ups and downs'. Often used to describe a life story or a relationship.
波乱万丈の恋愛だった。
It was a tumultuous romance.