noun
whirlpool; swirl; eddy; vortex
Refers to a rotating current of water or air, or metaphorically to a chaotic situation that draws things in.
川の渦に巻き込まれないように気をつけて。
Be careful not to get caught in the river's whirlpool.
彼は争いの渦に巻き込まれ
He was drawn into the vortex of the conflict.
渦巻き specifically refers to a spiral or coil shape, while 渦 is the broader term for a whirlpool or vortex.
The kanji 渦 is a phono-semantic compound with 氵 (water) and 咼 (a phonetic component). The reading うず is a native Japanese word of uncertain origin, possibly related to the idea of spinning or swirling.