What's the difference between the "wave" and "tsunami"?
Native speaker’s answer
Rebecca
The difference between a "wave" and a "tsunami" is actually very technical and has a lot of scientific qualification. However the basic difference is that "tsunamis" move through the entire water column, the full depth of the ocean. This means they affect all the way from the ocean surface to the ocean floor. However "waves" generally only affect the near-surface layer of the ocean. It doesn't reach to the bottom of the ocean the way a "tsunami" does.