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JAPANESE ONOMATOPOEIA
Simply put, Onomatopoeia is the formation of a word from a sound.
These sound words bring life to our conversation. While most languages have onomatopoeic words, Japanese onomatopoeia are much more common.
TYPES OF ONOMATOPOEIA
There are thousands of onomatopoeias in Japanese, but we can divide them into 3 main types or categories.
・Giseigo (擬声語) – Animal and human sounds
・Giongo (擬音語) – Sounds made by inanimate objects and nature
・Gitaigo (擬態語) – Describe the condition and states
INTRODUCTION TO GISEIGO
擬声語
Giseigo
Giseigo are pretty simple and straightforward. They are only used for voice-related sounds made by living things such as animals and humans. Some of them may sound similar to English onomatopoeia, others may sound quite different.
| わんわん | Wan wan | Woof (Dog) |
| ぶーん | Buun | Buzz (Bee) |
| もーもー | Moo moo | Moo (Cow) |
| めーめー | Mee mee | Baa (Sheep) |
| にゃん | Nyan | Meow (Cat) |
| あはは | Ahaha | Hahaha (Laugh) |
| うわーん | Uwaan | Baby or Child crying loudly |
| うぎゃー | Ugyaa | A surprised scream |
INTRODUCTION TO GITAIGO
擬態語
Gitaigo
Gitaigo are slightly different from the other 2 types of Japanese onomatopoeia.
Rather than mimicking a sound to describe something, these words describe conditions, feelings, or states.
Gitaigo is probably the most unique type of onomatopoeia in the Japanese language.
| びしょびしょ | Bisho bisho | Completely wet by a large amount of water |
| がーん | Gaan | Feeling shocked |
| べとべと | Beto beto | Feeling sticky with lots of sweat |
| ひんやり | Hinyari | Feeling cool |
| つるつる | Tsuru tsuru | Slippery |
| さらさら | Sara sara | Something feels very smooth |
| はらはら | Hara hara | Feeling anxious and worried about something |
| ぐちゃぐちゃ | Gucha gucha | Messy condition, especially used for desk or room |
WRITING JAPANESE ONOMATOPOEIA
There are no specific rules regarding onomatopoeia writing. But in most cases, Japanese onomatopoeia are written using either hiragana or katakana.
In mangas, you see both hiragana and katakana are used to write these words. So, this is another reason why learning both components is really important to understand the emotion of the Japanese language.
Some onomatopoeia have kanji as well. But you’ll rarely see them used even though they do exist. Here’s what it looks like:
| 燦燦(さんさん) | San san | Lots of sunlight |
| 昏昏(こんこん) | Kon kon | Long deep sleep |
| 齷齪(あくせく) | Akuseku | Feeling like you don’t have enough time |
| 煌煌(こうこう) | Kou kou | Bright and shining condition |
| 凸凹(でこぼこ) | Dekoboko | Uneven ground condition |
| 轟轟(ごうごう) | Gou gou | The sound of the running train |
USING ONOMATOPOEIA IN SENTENCES
Onomatopoeia is useful when you know how to use them. Onomatopoeia can take quite a few grammatical forms. Let’s see some examples.
AS A VERB
PATTERN
Verb + する
| あの人はいつもニコニコしているね！ | Ano hitowa itsumo nikoniko shiteirune | That person is always smiling! |
| 今日は家でだらだらしました。 | Kyouwa iede daradara shimashita | I was being lazy at home today. |
| 床がつるつるしているから気を付けて！ | Yuka ga tsurutsuru shiteiru kara kiwo tsukete | Be watchful because the floor is very slippery! |
AS A ADJECTIVE
PATTERN
Adjective + の
| でこぼこの道を車で運転する。 | Dekoboko no michiwo unten shimasu | I drive my car on a very rough road |
| さらさらの髪になりたい。 | Sarasara mo kamini naritai | I want very smooth hair. |
AS A ADVERB
PATTERN
Adverb + と
| 雷がごろごろと鳴り始めた。 | Kaminari ga gorogoro to narihajimeta | Thunder started rumbling. |
| 雨がざーざーと降っている。 | Ame ga zaazaa to hutte iru | Rain is heavily pouring down. |
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FAQs
What is onomatopoeia in Japanese?
Onomatopoeia in Japanese refers to words that imitate sounds or describe states of being.
These words are divided into categories, including sounds made by living beings, inanimate objects, and expressions of feelings or conditions.
What are the main types of onomatopoeia?
Japanese onomatopoeia is divided into three main categories:
– 擬音語 (giongo) for sounds,
– 擬態語 (gitaigo) for describing actions and states
– 擬声語 (giseigo) for mimicking animal and human sounds.
Can Japanese onomatopoeia describe emotions or feelings?
Yes, many onomatopoeic words in Japanese describe emotions or feelings, such as わくわく (wakuwaku) for excitement or がっかり (gakkari) for disappointment, offering a direct way to convey internal experiences.
Are onomatopoeia considered informal?
While onomatopoeia is common in casual speech, it can also be used in literature, advertising, and other formal contexts.
The appropriateness of its use depends on the tone and formality of the situation.
Where to find more Japanese lessons?
We regularly publish free Japanese lessons on our Japanese Grammar Bank.
Can I book Japanese classes with LTL?
Yes!
You can book online Japanese lessons on our platform Flexi Classes.
If you’d prefer to study Japanese abroad, check out our immersion programs in Tokyo.