It is a combination of two Japanese words:
* tsu (津), meaning "harbor" or "port"
* nami (波), meaning "wave"
Therefore, "tsunami" literally translates to "harbor wave" in Japanese.
It is a combination of two Japanese words:
* tsu (津), meaning "harbor" or "port"
* nami (波), meaning "wave"
Therefore, "tsunami" literally translates to "harbor wave" in Japanese.