Symphony of Sound: Find out how to Use 75+ Japanese Onomatopoeia Phrases
50
Wham! Swoosh! Ding ding ding! Onomatopoeia features as a option to flip sounds into phrases. When you might say somebody “exclaimed in a high-pitched tone,” it rings higher in your ears to say they “squealed!” Japanese onomatopoeia works the identical means, however with extra selection and room for creativity.
Including onomatopoeia into conversations and writing provides taste to your Japanese, and might even allow you to to sound extra fluent. Dive into over 75 sound results and different verbal imagery under, and as you proceed to be taught Japanese, hold a watch out for extra!
What’s onomatopoeia in Japanese?
One phrase for onomatopoeia in Japanese is the French loanword onomatope (オノマトペ). There are additionally 5 particular classes protecting totally different sorts of sound results, with the commonest being giongo (擬音語), giseigo (擬声語), and gitaigo (擬態語).
- giongo (擬音語): “phrases mimicking sounds,” or sounds made by objects and located in nature
- giseigo (擬声語): “phrases mimicking voices,” or sounds made by people and animals
- gitaigo (擬態語): “phrases mimicking states,” or verbal imagery associated to circumstances and states of being
- gijōgo (擬情語): “phrases mimicking emotion,” or verbal imagery associated to emotions
- giyōgo (擬容語): “phrases mimicking type,” or verbal imagery associated to movement
As a result of the delineation may cause confusion, gijōgo and giyōgo are sometimes included in gitaigo. In different phrases, gitaigo is a class that covers Japanese onomatopoeia used for description moderately than imitating sounds.
The distinction between a sound and verbal imagery as talked about above is that verbal imagery might not sound prefer it seems in writing. For instance, one instance of giseigo—a sound made by an individual—can be the sound of laughter. In English, that is like writing “haha” or “heehee.” In the meantime, a traditional instance of verbal imagery with out sound is the gitaigo for silence: shīn (しーん). That is utilized in writing as a result of in any other case it will be, nicely, silent!
To see onomatopoeia in motion, try the Toyama Prefectural Museum of Artwork and Design, which has an artwork exhibit all about making onomatope seen. Highlights embody:
- A tangled metallic sculpture with discuss tubes for hisohiso (whisper)
- Clean, irregular-shaped mounds for tsurutsuru (easy)
- Big mushrooms with hammocks for utōto (nodding off)
Find out how to use Japanese onomatopoeia
There are literally thousands of Japanese onomatopoeia in comparison with the tons of of English onomatopoeia. Translating the Japanese exactly could be tough, and onomatopoeia might seem as something from sound results to adverbs to adjectives in English. Whereas there’s room for confusion, this additionally signifies that Japanese can boil a whole scene down to at least one phrase.
Utilizing Japanese onomatopoeia with a verb
By utilizing the generic “to do” verb suru (する), Japanese onomatopoeia can perform as its personal verb. Whereas there could also be simpler strategies, this is among the best methods to include onomatopoeia into your vocabulary due to how common suru is.
- Nihon e no ryokō ni wakuwaku shiteimasu!（日本への旅行にわくわくしています！）= I’m excited about my journey to Japan!
Utilizing Japanese onomatopoeia as adverbs
Verbs paint an image on their very own, however by pairing them with associated onomatopoeia as adverbs, you can also make the verb extra exact. Similar to different Japanese adverbs, the phrase could be positioned straight in entrance of the verb with no required additions.
- Akachan wa neta.（赤ちゃんは寝た。）= The newborn slept.
- Akachan wa suyasuya neta.（赤ちゃんはすやすや寝た。）= The newborn slept soundly.
This works nicely when describing how somebody is laughing utilizing the verb warau (笑う), as proven in these instance sentences.
- Kanojo wa kusukusu waratta.（彼女はくすくす笑った。）= She giggled. (Actually: She laughed by guffawing.)
- Kare wa geragera waratta.（彼はゲラゲラ笑った。）= He guffawed. (Actually: He laughed by guffawing.)
Utilizing Japanese onomatopoeia by themselves
For those who’re utilizing onomatopoeia by itself with no suffixes or different attachments, then it matches in a sentence like a noun or adjective. For instance, like Japanese nouns, it might be adopted by the “to be” verb:
- 10 kiro aruite kutakuta da yo.（１０キロ歩いてくたくただよ。）= I walked 10 kilometers and I’m utterly worn out.
The lyrics of the opening track from the film “From Up on Poppy Hill,” “Asagohan no Uta” (“The Breakfast Track”), is an ideal instance of this, dropping the verb fully as a result of it’s understood.
| Japanese | Romanization | English |
| お鍋はグラグラ、お釜はシュウシュウ | onabe wa guragura, okama wa shūshū | The pot is effervescent, the rice is steaming |
| まな板はトントトン | mana ita wa ton to ton | The reducing board is standing by |
| お豆腐フルフル、卵はプルプル | otōfu furufuru, tamago wa purupuru | The tofu is jiggly, the eggs are slippery |
| 納豆はネバネバ | nattō wa nebaneba | The natto is sticky as could be |
Japanese onomatopoeia listing
What are essentially the most helpful onomatopoeia so that you can know? We’ve compiled a complete Japanese onomatopoeia listing of over 75 phrases you may combine into your vocabulary right now.
It’s possible you’ll discover that the charts embody each hiragana and katakana. Most onomatopoeia could be written with both relying on the author’s choice. Katakana is usually related to harsher sounds or conditions, whereas hiragana is gentler.
Giongo: Japanese phrases mimicking sounds
One of many broadest classes, giongo contains onomatopoeia that emit particular sounds. Noises in on a regular basis life like digital beeping, automobiles zooming on the freeway, and the sounds of pure phenomena are all a part of this group of phrases.
| Japanese | Romanization | English |
| がらがら | garagara | rattling |
| ばたん | batan | slamming |
| ガタンゴトン | gatangoton | practice rumbling on tracks |
| コンコン | konkon | knocking |
| ぽきぽき | pokipoki | cracking |
| かんかん | kankan | bell ringing |
| ざあざあ | zāzā | rain falling |
| ごろごろ | gorogoro | thunder rumbling |
| ちらちら | chirachira | snow falling |
| ひゅうひゅう | hyūhyū | wind whistling |
| パチリ | pachiri | digicam clicking |
| プルルル | purururu | cellphone ringing |
| チン | chin | ding! (akin to a money register) |
| ピンポーン | pinpōn | sound indicating appropriate reply |
| ブー | bū | sound indicating incorrect reply |
Giseigo: Japanese phrases mimicking voices
As in addition they emit clear sounds, giseigo are typically categorized beneath giongo. This creates overlap, however the distinction is minor. The phrases on this listing embody exclamations and animal sounds, which match properly into dialogue.
| Japanese | Romanization | English |
| くすくす | kusukusu | guffawing |
| うふふ | ufufu | chuckling |
| ゲラゲラ | geragera | guffawing |
| ひそひそ | hisohiso | whispering |
| ぶつぶつ | butsubutsu | grumbling |
| えーんえーん | ēnēn | crying |
| きゃあきゃあ | kyākyā | shrieking (in pleasure or concern) |
| ジャーン | jān | ta-da! |
| こんこん | konkon | coughing |
| ぜえぜえ | zēzē | wheezing from exertion |
| ニャー | nyā | meow |
| ワンワン | wanwan | woof |
| ピヨピヨ | piyopiyo | chirp |
| ケロケロ | kerokero | ribbit |
| コケコッコー | kokekokkō | cock-a-doodle-doo |
Gitaigo: Japanese phrases describing states and circumstances
Gitaigo is one other broad class of Japanese onomatopoeia that features every little thing that doesn’t have a selected voiced sound. As a substitute, these phrases work greatest as descriptors to color a extra vivid image within the thoughts’s eye. Sure phrases, like kirakira and pikapika, are additionally typically cute Japanese phrases to know!
| Japanese | Romanization | English |
| きらきら | kirakira | shining |
| ピカピカ | pikapika | glowing |
| ふわふわ | fuwafuwa | fluffy |
| あっさり | assari | flippantly seasoned/utilized |
| しーん | shīn | silence |
| パチパチ | pachipachi | fireplace crackling |
| むしむし | mushimushi | muggy |
| ぎらぎら | giragira | obviously brilliant |
| ぽかぽか | pokapoka | pleasantly heat |
| ぞくぞく | zokuzoku | shivering |
| じんじん | jinjin | painful tingling (“pins and needles”) |
| ぐうぐう | gūgū | abdomen rumbling |
| ふらふら | furafura | staggering |
| へとへと | hetoheto | exhausted (from bodily exertion) |
| くたくた | kutakuta | exhausted (from psychological exertion) |
Gijōgo: Japanese phrases describing feelings
Onomatopoeia that describe feelings are generally used as a result of they assist talk precisely how somebody is feeling. Whereas many gijōgo translate to English as verbs, they work nicely on their very own in Japanese—no verb required!
| Japanese | Romanization | English |
| どきどき | dokidoki | coronary heart beating |
| じーん | jīn | deeply moved |
| がーん | gān | stunning realization |
| わくわく | wakuwaku | excited |
| おろおろ | oro-oro | flustered |
| いらいら | iraira | irritated |
| ぷんぷん | punpun | fuming with anger |
| すっきり | sukkiri | refreshing |
| がっかり | gakkari | upset |
| びっくり | bikkuri | shocked |
Giyōgo: Japanese phrases describing movement
Motion isn’t normally related to sound, however there are many giyōgo to counsel that imagery precisely. Consider the vibrations in your throat and alter in air strain in your ears if you gulp down water. There’s a phrase for that!
| Japanese | Romanization | English |
| ごくごく | gokugoku | gulping a drink |
| もぐもぐ | mogumogu | chewing meals |
| にこにこ | nikoniko | fortunately smiling |
| にやにや | niyaniya | grinning; smirking |
| すやすや | suyasuya | sleeping soundly |
| ぽろぽろ | poroporo | giant teardrops dripping |
| ごしごし | goshigoshi | sweeping the ground |
| のんびり | nonbiri | leisurely |
| ぎっしり | gisshiri | crammed |
| ゆっくり | yukkuri | slowly |
Japanese onomatopoeia utilized in manga
Some of the iconic methods onomatopoeia is utilized in Japanese is as sound results in comedian books, or manga (漫画). Comedian books in English even have acquainted sound results like “Smack!” or “Zing!” however Japanese has considerably extra selection.
Due to the visible nature of manga, lettering performs a job in how the onomatopoeia is perceived. Jagged fonts pair with jarring noises (particularly in the event that they’re written in katakana), and easy, curling fonts accompany smooth feelings (particularly in the event that they’re written in hiragana).
There’s even some creative freedom with spelling. If a personality’s coronary heart charge is accelerated due to one thing upsetting or attractive, the phrase dokidoki could be altered barely to precise delicate modifications in how or why their coronary heart is pounding. That is much like altering the spelling of “crash” to “krash” to counsel a extra damaging sound.
- dokidoki: coronary heart pounding (normal)
- dokkidokki: coronary heart pounding more durable
- dokin: coronary heart racing
- dokkīn: coronary heart racing quick
- doki: coronary heart skipping as soon as
Right here’s a listing of among the commonest onomatopoeia present in Japanese manga!
| Japanese | Romanization | English |
| ドーン | dōn | growth (used for each loud noises and grand reveals) |
| ザワザワ | zawazawa | chattering |
| メラメラ | meramera | crackling with burning rage |
| はっ | hah | gasp |
| ぐー | gū | loud night breathing |
| ピーンポーンパーン | pinponpan | intercom tone |
| ピッ | pi | beep |
| かああ | kā | blushing |
| ダダダダダ | dadadadada | dashing |
| ゴゴゴゴゴ | gogogogogo | rumbling |
Immerse your self in Japanese onomatopoeia with Rosetta Stone
Jān! Ta-da! With dozens of Japanese onomatopoeia between giongo, giseigo, gitaigo, gijougo, and giyougo, you may describe sounds and conditions with vivid readability. Now, the subsequent time you hear that somebody is smiling, you’ll know whether or not it’s fortunately (nikoniko) or with a touch of a smirk (niyaniya) and reply accordingly.
As a result of so many Japanese onomatopoeia are related to particular conditions, it may be difficult to know the appropriate time to make use of them. That is the place Rosetta Stone might help by immersing you within the language to listen to how native audio system naturally combine them into dialog and writing. Don’t simply look ahead to studying Japanese: embrace that thrilling feeling of wakuwaku!
