Do you know what “omomatopoeia” means?
I’m a native English speaker, but I’ve never heard that word in English before…and it looks hard to even pronounce!
(Can you read Japanese? The pronunciation of “omomatopoeia” is 「オノマトペ」).
An “onomatopoeia” is, according to the dictionary:
A word, such as ‘cuckoo’ or ‘boom’, formed by imitation of a sound made by or associated with its referent.
In Japanese, it’s 擬声語.
I didn’t know the word in English…but I do know what 擬声語 (“onomatopoeia“) are. I use them often in Japanese.
Perhaps more than in any other language, 擬声語 (“onomatopoeia“) are used alot in Japanese.
Even when different languages have 擬声語 (“onomatopoeia“) for the same meaning, they are usually quite different in different languages.
For example, the 擬声語 (“onomatopoeia“) for a dog’s bark is
“Bow-wow” in English,
but it’s 「ワンワン」 (“Wan-wan“) in Japanese.
In Korean, it’s “Mon-mon“, and it’s “Gaf-gaf” in Russian.
Here are a few more of the countless Japanese 擬声語 (“onomatopoeia“):
- 「パクパク」 (Paku-paku)…means “Eating; chewing” (the video-game “Pac-man” comes from this term.),
- 「ケロケロ」 (Kero-kero)…means “Ribbit” (a frog croaking),
- 「ブーブー」 (Buu-buu)…means “Oink oink” (a pig’s grunt),
- 「ニコニコ」 (Niko-niko)…means “Cheerful“,
- 「ワクワク」 (Waku-waku)…means “Excited“,
- 「ドキドキ」 (Doki-doki)…means “Excited“,
- 「ジロジロ」 (Jiro-jiro)…means “Stare at someone“,
- 「ドンドン」 (Don-don)…means “the beating of drum“,
- 「団々」 (Dan-dan)…means “Gradually“,
- 「ベタベタ」 (Beta-beta)…means “Sticky“,
- 「別々」 (Betsu-betsu)…means “Seperately“,
- 「ガラガラ」 (Gara-gara)…means “Clattering“,
- 「ギリギリ」 (Giri-giri)…means “Just barely“,
- 「グルグル」 (Guru-guru)…means “Spinning; revolving“,
- 「色々」 (Iro-iro)…means “Various“, and
- 「ペラペラ」 (Pera-pera)…means “Fluent; talkative“.
There are many more Japanese 擬声語 (“onomatopoeia“). They are used alot in casual Japanese.
Do you know any Japanese 擬声語 (“onomatopoeia“)? What are some in you native language?
Tokyo Five 
Hey there! Great blog post. I’m also interested in Japanese 擬音語 and 擬態語 so I’ve started a website to help people learn about them. Please check it out!
Onomato Project: onomatoproject.com.
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Thank you. That’s a great website!
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🙂
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Do you live in Japan?
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Yes indeed, but I’m down in Kyoto. I’ve been here for around a decade.
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I have lived here (in Japan) longer now than I lived in America!
How long do you plan to stay in Japan? What country are you from?
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> I have lived here (in Japan) longer now than I lived in America!
Hah, you’ve earned your stripes.
> What country are you from?
I’m from D.C., myself.
> How long do you plan to stay in Japan?
Mind if I email you directly? (^_-)
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>I’m from D.C., myself.
Oh, I’ve never been to Washington D.C.!
>Mind if I email you directly?
Sure. You can e-mail me with this form.
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Thanks for the information !! Liked that guru guru !! ^_^
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You like it? Just the way it sounds, you mean?
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Is ふぇわ-ふぇわ one for fluffy? I could be wrong. English is my first tounge, I’m studying Japanese. Slowly but surely.
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Close. “Fluffy” is 「フワフワ」(“Fuwa-fuwa”) in Japanese.
What country are you from?
Where do you study Japanese? In school?
How long have you been learning it?
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I live in America, and started studying Japanese this summer on my own. (I wish they offered it in my school.) I don’t know much vocabulary yet
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How do you study? With a book? The internet?
What kind of school are you a student at? College? High-school?
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I study using 2 different apps, they help me a lot. I also have a Japanese dictionary app that helps me with vocabulary. I struggle with learning kanji.
I am currently a high school student but in the fall I’ll be going to an art college. (:
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Maybe the college that you’re going to attend offers Japanese language classes.
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Maybe (:
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You should take it, if they offer it.
Why did you decide to study Japanese?
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Well, ever since I was little I’ve loved traditional Japanese music, and felt a connection to the Asian culture.
But my desires to study the language didn’t start until I became J rock (more specificly, visual kei) obsessed. It’s my favorite genre of music, so since they speak japanese, it inspired me to learn the language. I want to be able to go to Japan and meet some J rockers (:
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What type of traditional Japanese music did you listen to?
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I’d just go to YouTube and type in “traditional Japanese music” and listened to whatever popped up. It’s very relaxing and great to meditate to (:
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>very relaxing
I guess you haven’t listened to enka then!
😉
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This is really interesting. But, it’s been bugging me for awhile, what’s the logic behind having a sound effect for staring? Eyes don’t make perceptible noise; I know, I’ve tried.
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Japanese 擬声語 not only represent sound-effects… so I guess I should say that they can be both onomatopoeia and ideophones.
For example, キラキラ (kira-kira) means “sparkly” or “shiny”… or some people might use the ideophone in English “bling-bling” (though I wouldn’t 😉 )
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ah ha! the “kero kero kero!” in the Sargeant Frog song means ribbit! Thanks for the info, very helpful and interesting.
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I glad my blog was useful.
The name of that Japanese アニメ (anime cartoon) and lead character is actually 「ケロロ軍曹」… which is actually “Sgt. Keroro”– making “Ribbit” sound kinda like a boy’s name.
Kinda difficult to translate a play-on-words, so I guess they just went with “Sgt. Frog” for overseas audiences.
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i am sorry, i want to ask about paku-paku, pakuri, pakkun, gatsu-gatsu, mogu-mogu and mori-mori in taberu onomatope,,, can u tell me about thats
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Those are all pretty similar.
How do you know about those?
I’ll try to translate them:
>paku-paku
“Pac-Man” is named after this.
It’s “chomp chomp”.
>pakuri
The sound for one big bite.
>pakkun
Swallow whole or in one gulp.
>gatsu-gatsu
To eat real fast when one feels ravenous.
>mogu-mogu
Chewing
>mori-mori
Eat a lot.
I believe that’s right.
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Thanks ^ u ^
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And, thank you for visiting my blog.
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Yeah as I thought. I told her that there wasn’t a translation so we just went with Zugyan etc.
Thanks anyway 🙂
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Are you translating for work? As a hobby?
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Oh it’s just a hobby for me since I have only taught myself (but it would be nice if I could learn some more and do something with this skill) and of course I haven’t fully grasped Japanese but my friend has a major in Asian Studies and is aiming to be a Japanese translator in the near future.
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Well, good luck. I wish you both success with your dream.
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Hi 🙂 Would anyone happen to know what
ズガーン [Zugan] and ズギャーン [Zugyan] mean/are in English?
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Did you see those in a manga?
They seem like comic book “sound effects”.
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Ah yes I’m refering to the manga Pandora Hearts and since someone I know who translates Japanese I wanted to help and I’m not as skilled as them and we both couldn’t find anything for those two but she could find/did translation for zuban and zudon. I believe it is something to do with ‘mourning’.
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Just like English-language comics, Japanese manga have many “original” sound-effects.
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Hello, I’ve got a question! Do you know what would be the onomatopoeia for “prance”, “jump” or something similiar?
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「ピョンピョン」 (Pyon-pyon) would be “hop” (like a rabbit).
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Thank you!
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No problem. Any other questions, let me know.
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The sound for a Pengin in Japanee is: “Pen Pen” – there are a lot of 擬声語 in this YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqzt3T4R38c
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>The sound for a Pengin in Japanee is: “Pen Pen”
That’s not actually right. That 「森の安藤」 (“Mr. Andou of the Woods”) is a bizarre cartoon with an unusual humor.
That word “pen-pen” that they said for “penguin” in that cartoon was just an odd joke.
「ペンペン」 (Pen-pen) can be used as a word for spanking an unruly child, though.
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Does anyone know what バキバキ means?
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Do you mean as in the sound of sticks, etc breaking?
I’d say that it’s “Snap“, in English.
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I have no idea.. but here is the complete sentence:
もう1曲はバキバキになるから
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Are those lyrics from a song?
「バキ」 is what I was thinking of when I said it means “snap” or “break”.
But in that sentence you wrote I think 「バキバキ」 is some kind of original word (of the singer?).
Maybe it means “The one song has already become exciting” or something like that.
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umm.. no, it’s not a lyric.
I am trying to translate an interview of the techno-pop unit Perfume.
They’re talking about the song in their new single.
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Oh I see.
Well, I’d still say that my translation is accurate.
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I’m taking it then, thank you for your help!
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Sure. If you have any other questions, I’ll do my best.
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Hey, I’ve got a question… what sound make penguins in japanese?
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I don’t even know how to describe a penguin’s call in English.
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i like the onomatopoeia found in manga.
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Your link doesn’t seem to work…but which manga do you read?
In English or Japanese?
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In my own language (Portuguese), I was introduced to the word “onomatopeia” when I was a kid, but now you got me thinking if other people know it too, since it´s not normally talked about.
Yes, japanese people seem to have an onopatopeia for just about everything, dont they?
If you´re curious, some onopatopeias used here are: “Au-au”(barking)
“chúa-chúa”(For water…moving?)
And I cant remember more =P
Ps. I found this while looking for what “girigiri” meant, so thanks.
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>some onopatopeias used here
Interesting. Thanks. 🙂
>I found this while looking for what “girigiri” meant, so thanks
Glad my site was helpful. BTW, where did you hear 「ギリギリ」 (Giri-giri)?
>my own language (Portuguese)
Are you Brazilian?
Did you see my post about Brazil?
Here:
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I was (trying to) translate a text, and 「ギリギリ」 (Giri-giri) was there, chalenging me…I also had hear it in a song, previously.
Yes, I am brazilian…
There was alot,looot, of media covering for the 100 years immigration event, so I already knew about it…But it was interesting to see the photo!
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Are you a translator? So, you must be fluent in Japanese, English, and Portuguese! Great!
Did you see the Japanese Prince when he went there last June for the emigration celebrations?
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Let’s see: snore, purr, crinkle, hush,swoosh, slush, smoosh,crash, crush, clank,flush, beep,glug, crackle, meow, whoosh, chug, bump, shuffle, scrape, scoop, honk, whomp, jingly-clink, vroom. I just went through the whole book. 🙂
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Totally different than Japanese onomatopoeia! 😉
BTW, is “crash”, “crush”, “bump” or “shuffle” onomatopoeia?
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I have a children’s book (English of course for my little Texan Kindergarteners) that is called “Snow Sounds: An Omomatopoeiac Story. It’s a story with illustrations and the sounds written out only.
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What types of sounds, for example?
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>おしり ’ペンペン’ するよ！
I forgot about that one! 🙂
When my kids were little, I used to say that to them too!
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’ぺちゃくちゃ’ おしゃべりしないで ’さっさ’ と宿題やりなさい。 おしり ’ペンペン’ するよ！
I use a lot of 擬声語 when I talk with my kids!
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Hi tokyo5 🙂
I didn’t know the word “Onomatopoeia” , but I know lots of Japanese 擬声語 😉 (of course, I’m Japanese :p)
I think Japanese people use lots of 擬声語 everyday. There are thousands of those…
「キラキラ」「ガタガタ」「うじうじ」「モチモチ」(←I use it a lot)
I’m not sure if it’s a 擬声語, but we say 「チンする」= heating up the food in a microwave. Do you think it’s a 擬声語?
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Thanks. Those are good examples!
>「キラキラ」
And 「ピカピカ」
>「ガタガタ」
I don’t like that one!
Reminds me of getting old…or earthquakes!;)
>「モチモチ」(←I use it a lot)
Do you like 「モチモチパン」 (chewy bread)?
>「チンする」= heating up the food in a microwave.
Oh, that’s a good example too!
I used to used that one when my kids were little.
>Do you think it’s a 擬声語?
Yes, I’d say it is.
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Did they invent those games in Japan?
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Yes, those are Japanese video games.
But the video game company “Atari” is American…but the word atari is Japanese.
「当たり」 (Atari) means “win” or “score”.
It’s also used in the Japanese game “Go” like the term “check” is in the game “Chess”….and that’s how the company got their name.
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That’s so interesting about Pac Man I never thought there was a meaning to the name
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Yes, to Japanese, the meaning of Pac-man‘s name is obvious (since all he does is eat dots (and blue ghosts))…but to people in other countries, though Pac-man is famous, his name has no meaning, I’m sure.
Also, the main characters in the video-game “Mario Bros“, Mario and Luigi have evil alter-egos named Wario and Waruigi…those are plays on the Japanese word warui (“bad”).
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One that I remember from my university textbook is “zaa-zaa”, which translates to “raining cats and dogs”.
For some reason I just can’t bring myself to punctuating before a closing quotation mark…
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Yes that’s right, thanks.
「ザーザー」 (zaa-zaa) means “raining hard“.
That just reminded me of:
「ザラザラ」 (zara-zara) which means “rough texture“.
>For some reason I just can’t bring myself to punctuating before a closing quotation mark…
Sorry…what do you mean?
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The commas and periods should go inside the quotation marks, regardless of context. It just looks wrong to me, and by the looks of it, wrong to you too!
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Really? Is that the rule?
I always assumed a sentence should end in a period and a question in a question-mark.
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Apparently that’s the rule…
These ones aren’t really onomatopoeic but they fit the pattern:
boro-boro, old tattered clothing.
neba-neba, slimy or slippery food.
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Thanks…there are a million of these in the Japanese language. I appreciate the help in remembering some!
And I’d say that those are close enough to being onomatopoeic. 😉
As for 「ネバネバ」 (Neba-neba), I’d translate it to “sticky” in English.
Most famous ネバネバ food is probably 「納豆」 (Natto) and 「オクラ」 (Okra).
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