Japanese Onomatopoeia: Sound, Feeling, and Movement Words

---

Today, I’m feeling pretty わくわく (wakuwaku: “excited”)! Are you うずうず (uzuuzu: “itching to get started”)?

Because today we’re learning onomatopoeia!

If English words such as “bang,” “woof,” and “meow” are your main reference point, Japanese onomatopoeia may be a surprise. These expressions are common in conversation and manga, and they describe far more than literal sounds. Learning the basics will help you notice how Japanese speakers express sound, movement, texture, mood, and feeling.

Plus, you can level up your Japanese conversation skills by expressing yourself with Japanese onomatopoeia.

Editor's note: Before we get started, if you’re looking for an online Japanese course, here’s the course we recommend: Japanese Uncovered – Learn Japanese Through the Power of Story, a course with a fascinating new method by Olly Richards. You can try it for free for 7 days!

Here's a Quick “Japanese Onomatopoeia” Video I Made To Get You Started:

Japanese onomatopoeia includes words for voices and noises as well as mimetic words for movement, texture, physical states, and emotion. You will meet them in conversation, manga, advertising, and descriptive writing. The video gives you a quick introduction before we sort the expressions into useful groups below.

Feeling いそいそ (isoiso: “enthusiastic”) now? Let’s get learning!

What is Onomatopoeia?

Onomatopoeia are any words, expressions or phrases that aim to imitate or recreate a sound or feeling. As I mentioned above, we use these words in English to express things like noises and animal sounds. We often see them in comics and children’s book or even make the noises while playing with our kids. Sounds like “moo moo” for a cow, or “vroom vroom” for a car.

Japanese teaching materials often begin with two broad families: words that imitate voices or sounds, and mimetic words that portray a state, manner, movement, or feeling. Some guides divide those families into the following five practical categories:

• Giongo (擬音語): words that imitate sounds from objects or nature, such as a train or the wind.
• Gitaigo (擬態語): mimetic words for states or qualities, such as stickiness or muggy weather.
• Giseigo (擬声語): words that imitate the voices or cries of people and animals.
• Giyougo (擬容語): mimetic words that portray a movement or manner, such as wandering or walking briskly.
• Gijougo (擬情語): mimetic words for feelings and psychological states, such as nervous excitement or irritation.

The labels can overlap, and dictionaries do not always draw the boundaries in exactly the same place. The most useful first distinction is between sound-imitating words, including giongo and giseigo, and broader mimetic words, often grouped under gitaigo.

Getting Started with Japanese Onomatopoeia

The first question you may have is, “How do I write onomatopoeia in Japanese?”

You will see these words in both hiragana and katakana. Katakana is common for prominent sound effects, emphasis, and manga lettering, while hiragana is common in familiar mimetic expressions. These are tendencies rather than a strict sound-versus-feeling rule.

Switching scripts can also change the visual tone or emphasis, much as typography can in English. That does not make one script inherently “hard” and the other inherently “soft,” so check how each expression is normally written in your source or dictionary.

Spelling still matters, so learn each expression as a whole and notice which script your source uses. If you need help getting started with kana, see this guide to hiragana and katakana.

You will also notice recurring word shapes. They can suggest how a sound or action unfolds, but they are patterns rather than three fixed grammatical forms:

• Reduplication: わくわく (wakuwaku, excited) and ぺらぺら (perapera, fluently) repeat a sound pattern. Reduplication often suggests repetition or continuity, while a long vowel can portray a sustained sound, as in グーグー (gūgū, snoring).
• A final small っ: はっと (hatto, suddenly startled) and ぞっと (zotto, feeling a chill) can suggest an abrupt or sharply bounded reaction. These expressions often appear with と or する, but learn the full collocation rather than treating っ as a formula.
• A final り: のそり (nosori, moving slowly and heavily) and しょんぼり (shonbori, dejected) are examples of manner or state words ending in り. The ending does not reliably mean “slow” or serve as the opposite of small っ.

A final ん can contribute a sense of resonance or completion in some words. It is another clue, not a rule: learn items such as ゴンゴン (gongon, repeated banging) in context.

Grammar and Tips When Learning Japanese Onomatopoeia

So how do you use Japanese onomatopoeia in sentences?

Many mimetic words can modify a verb with と. Some take に, combine with する, or appear without a particle in a fixed expression, so learn the usual pattern with each word. For example:

突然、風がビュンビュンと吹き始めた。(Totsuzen, kaze ga byunbyun to fukihajimeta.)
“Suddenly, the wind began to whoosh.”

They can also be used to quote someone making that noise, like a laugh:

テレビを見ている間、旦那さんはゲラゲラと笑いました。(Terebi o mite iru aida, dannasan wa geragera to waraimashita.) “While watching TV, my husband laughed loudly.”

Sometimes the onomatopoeia use に (ni) before a verb, especially when describing a state or condition. It makes the verb more descriptive, like:

母はカンカンに怒りました。(Haha wa kankan ni okorimashita.) “My mom was furious.”

怒る (okoru) means “to be angry” but when you add カンカン (kankan) it becomes “to be furious.”

Many mimetic words combine with する (suru) to describe an action or state. Others prefer a particle such as と or に, so check the expression rather than substituting やる automatically.

明日はとても難しいテストがあるので、ドキドキする。(Ashita wa totemo muzukashii tesuto ga aru node, dokidoki suru.) “I have a very difficult test tomorrow, so I feel nervous.”

Here is a more natural example with する:

今日はむしむしするね。(Kyō wa mushimushi suru ne.) “It’s hot and humid today, isn’t it?”

The last tip I have for you before we get to the Japanese onomatopoeia list? There are a few little cheats to help you understand onomatopoeia you don’t know.

Sound symbolism can sometimes offer a clue. In related word pairs, a voiced consonant may suggest a heavier, rougher, or louder impression. This is not a dependable rule, and it has nothing to do with a word being masculine or feminine.

As an example of this, compare how to say “laughing” in Japanese: クスクス (kusukusu, giggle, chuckle) versus ゲラゲラ (geragera, laughing loudly, guffaw).

Now, let’s get started with some Japanese onomatopoeia!

Japanese Onomatopoeia for Animal Sound Effects (Giseigo)

Let’s learn some cool animal sound effects – like how to say roar in Japanese! (It’s ガオー, gao-)

• ワンワン (wanwan): Woof-woof (dog)
• ニャーニャー (nyaa nyaa): Meow-meow (cat)
• モーモー (mo-mo-): Moo-moo (cow)
• ヒヒーン (hi-hin): Neigh-neigh (horse)
• ブーブー (bu-bu-): Oink-oink (pig)
• コケコッコー (kokekokko-): Cockadoodledoo (rooster)
• ケロケロ (kerokero): Ribbit-ribbit (frog)
• キーキー (kīkī): A monkey screeching or chattering
• ブーン (būn): A sustained buzz from a bee or other flying insect
• コンコン (konkon): A conventional Japanese representation of a fox’s call

Japanese Mimetic Words for People’s Voices and Actions

This group mixes giseigo for human sounds with mimetic words for facial expressions and actions. For crying, compare ギャアギャア (gyāgyā, wailing loudly) with シクシク (shikushiku, crying quietly).

• コホンコホン (kohon kohon): A light cough
• ぐうぐう (guu guu): Snoring loudly
• ハクション (hakushon): Achoo; the sound of a sneeze
• ワイワイ (waiwai): A group talking or having fun in a lively, noisy way
• コソコソ (kosokoso): Secret whispering
• キャー (kya-): Screaming
• ズルズル (zuru zuru): Slurping loudly
• ニコニコ (nikoniko): Smiling cheerfully
• ジロジロ (jiro jiro): To stare intently
• ガブガブ (gabu gabu): To guzzle a drink

Japanese Onomatopoeia for Inanimate Sound Effects (Giongo)

Ready to learn the sound effects you see in manga, like how to say “bang” in Japanese? (バンバン, ban ban)

• パラパラ (para para): Light, scattered rain, or flipping through the pages of a book.
• リンリン (rin rin): The sound of ringing, like a bicycle bell ring.
• コンコン (kon kon): Knocking
• ゴロゴロ (goro goro): Thunder rumbling, or large objects rolling loudly
• ザーザー (za- za-): Heavy rain
• ゴボゴボ (gobo gobo): Gushing water
• ガタンゴトン (gatan goton): The clacking rhythm of a train
• ガシャン (gashan): Crash
• カタカタ (kata kata): Click-clack, or typing
• サワサワ (sawa sawa): Rustling

Japanese Onomatopoeia for States or Conditions (Gitaigo)

These words describe textures and physical states. You might be 汗でびっしょり (ase de bisshori, “soaked with sweat”) on a humid day, while a soft, light blanket could be ふわふわ (fuwafuwa, “fluffy”).

• キラキラ (kirakira): Sparkling
• グルグル (guruguru): Spinning round and round; in context, your head spinning
• ぺとぺと (petopeto): Slightly sticky or tacky
• びっしょり (bisshori): To be soaked
• ピカピカ (pikapika): Shiny, gleaming, or sparkling clean
• ムシムシ (mushi mushi): Humid, uncomfortable hot/sticky weather
• ピリピリ (piri piri): Spicy, hot sensation
• べとべと (beto beto): Sticky
• ダラダラ (dara dara): Lazily
• ほかほか (hokahoka): Pleasantly warm, often for freshly cooked food

Japanese Onomatopoeia for Emotions and Feelings (Gijougo)

Are you feeling ドキドキ (dokidoki, heart racing with excitement or nervousness)? Or ウキウキ (ukiuki, “cheerful”)? Express your inner feelings with more color!

• むかむか (mukamuka): Feeling nauseated or simmering with anger
• いらいら (ira ira): To be irritated
• びっくり (bikkuri): Shocked, surprised
• くよくよ (kuyokuyo): Brooding or worrying over something
• ぼろぼろ (boroboro): Worn out or tattered; metaphorically, emotionally exhausted
• ぞっと (zotto): To have a chill go down your spine, usually from a gross or scared feeling
• むすっ (musu’): Looking sullen or pouty, often in むすっと
• るんるん (runrun): In a cheerful, buoyant mood
• やきもき (yakimoki): So worried that you can’t calm down
• むくむく (mukumuku): A feeling or motivation welling up; also something swelling or growing

Japanese Onomatopoeia for Movement (Giyougo)

What does running sound like in Japanese? だだだだだ (dadadadada) can evoke rapid footsteps. Now let’s describe movements.

• グルグル (guru guru): To spin around
• のろのろ (noronoro): Moving slowly or sluggishly
• コロコロ (koro koro): Something rolls
• ウロウロ (uro uro): Wandering around
• スタスタ (suta suta): Brisk walk
• こっくりこっくり (kokkurikokkuri): Nodding off repeatedly
• ガバッ (gaba’): Waking or sitting up suddenly
• ガチガチ (gachigachi): Teeth chattering or the body becoming rigid
• パチパチ (pachipachi): Blinking repeatedly; context can also make it clapping or crackling
• ガツガツ (gatsugatsu): Wolfing or gobbling food

Express Yourself at a Whole New Level — and Have More Fun, too!

While learning Japanese onomatopoeia may feel a bit like learning a whole separate language, it can add a lot of color to your speech!

Compare the neutral 水を飲みました (mizu o nomimashita, “I drank water”) with 水をガブガブ飲みました (mizu o gabugabu nomimashita, “I guzzled water”). The mimetic word adds the manner without making the neutral sentence “boring.”

Try a few expressions with your Japanese language exchange partner. If you want more short dialogues to listen to, our JapanesePod101 review explains what that course does well and where it falls short. For a structured speaking plan with personal support, you can also look at the Fluent in 3 Months Bootcamp.

What are your favorite onomatopoeia? Did we miss your favorite on this list? Let us know in the comments! But most of all, have fun with your Japanese sound effects!