×
GreekEnglish

×
  • Politics
  • Diaspora
  • World
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Cooking
Monday
02
Feb 2026
weather symbol
Athens 12°C
  • Home
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • World
  • Diaspora
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Mediterranean Cooking
  • Weather
Contact follow Protothema:
Powered by Cloudevo
> World

The tropical storm “Malakas” is raging in Asia – Why the news has gone viral in Greece (video)

Hint: The name of the tropical storm is not in Greek...

Newsroom April 9 11:59

“Malakas” is one of the most famous Greek words among non-Greeks, along with “kalimera”, “yasou” and “mousakas”. (No sorry, “opa” doesn’t count as it is not exactly a word… It’s an exclamation).

However, “malakas” is a dirty word and we won’t get into more detail. If you are intrigued, start hanging out more with Greeks (or just google it…).

Apparently, though, Malakas is also the name of a tropical storm in progress right now in the eastern Philippines.

The tropical storm was named Malakas by the Japan Meteorological Agency, who used a Filipino word, which explains the…misunderstanding. In Filipino “malakas” means strong, dynamic. Quite the opposite than in Greek.

This is not the first time that the phenomenon with this name has appeared. To be precise, it “visits” the area every 6 years. The first time Malakas appeared was in 2004. Then in 2010 and in 2016.

So, as the year is 2022, it was time for Malakas to show up…

See Also:

Cyprus: Zelensky didn’t mention the Turkish invasion, closed video link when House Speaker mentioned Turkey (video)

As the course of the phenomenon shows, the storm may affect Taiwan, the Korean Peninsula and Japan.

>Related articles

Unidentified drone crashes at military base in northern Poland

Kiev thanks Elon Musk for blocking Starlink in Russia

Use of drinking water banned in 10 villages in Didymoteicho due to flooding

New satellite view of Tropical Storm #Malakas in the western Pacific. Expected to strengthen into a typhoon in a few days. #台風1号 pic.twitter.com/hoIm7F6uwX

— Zoom Earth (@zoom_earth) April 8, 2022

Ask me anything

Explore related questions

#filipino#funny#greek#japan#Japan Meteorological Agency#Korean Peninsula#language#malakas#phenomenon#science#Taiwan#tropical storm#vocabulary#weather#weather forecast#word#world
> More World

Follow en.protothema.gr on Google News and be the first to know all the news

See all the latest News from Greece and the World, the moment they happen, at en.protothema.gr

> Latest Stories

Unidentified drone crashes at military base in northern Poland

February 2, 2026

The prime minister’s interview: the dilemma is not Mitsotakis or chaos, but Mitsotakis or Androulakis, or Zoi, or Velopoulos

February 2, 2026

ALCO poll: New Democracy maintains a 12-point lead at 23.5% in voting intention – Where Karystianou and Tsipras draw sympathy

February 2, 2026

“DESSERT”: Painting Exhibition by Nikos Siskos at Sianti Gallery

February 2, 2026

Step by Step: Constitutional revision in Greece – What is decided now and what follows after the elections – The case of the “one-day Parliament”

February 2, 2026

Real Estate: How apartment building management can cut up to 20% off a property’s value

February 2, 2026

Athens After Dark: Inside 30 Great Cocktail Bars

February 2, 2026

Kiev thanks Elon Musk for blocking Starlink in Russia

February 2, 2026
All News

> Greece

Step by Step: Constitutional revision in Greece – What is decided now and what follows after the elections – The case of the “one-day Parliament”

How the two-phase revision system works, what happens if no government is formed and we go to a second election

February 2, 2026

Use of drinking water banned in 10 villages in Didymoteicho due to flooding

February 2, 2026

Six dead and 480 injured in 433 traffic accidents in January in Attica, as the data show

February 2, 2026

Lent is coming, new increases of up to 15% in seafood prices in supermarkets – Shrimp prices soared, where has the squid arrived

February 2, 2026

Blue Star Chios: Video captures the ship battling severe weather off Diafani, Karpathos

February 2, 2026
Homepage
PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION POLICY COOKIES POLICY TERM OF USE
Powered by Cloudevo
Copyright © 2026 Πρώτο Θέμα