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Sounds of Japan ~ Onomataopoeia
The Japanese have a completely different set of sound effects, or onomataopoeia, than what we have. Take a look below and see what your favorite sounds effects sound like in Japanese. If you wish to submit something I missed please feel free to email me.
Animal Onomataopoeia
| chuu chuu | Squeaking sound as in the sounds of mice, hampsters, kissing, insects, and other such noises. |
| gara gara | Snake sound. |
| hiin hiin | Horse sound. |
| kero kero | Frog sound. |
| kyonpy | This is not so much a word as it is an action. It is a meaningles word. "Kyon" is a visual action of rabbits jumping and "-py", or "-pi" is a childish sound |
| mane mane | Monkey sound. Mimicing sound. |
| nyan nyan | Cat sound. The word, "nyanko" is a childish way to say cat, as in "kitty". |
| pao pao | Elephant sound. |
| piyo piyo | Chick or small bird sound. (cheep cheep). |
| poi / paku | Sound from a carp's mouth. (koi = carp) |
| wan wan | This is the 'sound' a dog makes. |
People Onomataopoeia
| butsu butsu | Whispering sound. |
| dosun dosun | Walking sound. |
| gaku gaku | Trembling sound. |
| gaya gaya | Crowded area. |
| gyaa gyaa | Screaming sound. |
| hotto | It is the sounds of being relieved. |
| kyaa | Scream. |
| pachi pachi | Clapping sound. |
| pero pero | Sound made from licking candy. |
| tamaya | A word used to cheer for good fireworks. |
Inanimate Objects & Misc. Onomataopoeia
| ban ban | "Bang bang" |
| biri biri | The sound of electricity |
| dokkan | The sound of crashing into something. |
| dosun | Thud when something hits the ground. |
| gari gari | This is the 'sound' a drill makes. |
| gasa gasa | Sound of something that is dry and rough. |
| jara jara | Sound made from a ball falling from a Pachinko. Pachino is a gambling device similar to a slot machine that uses balls instead of tokens. |
| jori jori | Sound of rough, unshaven whiskers. |
| pan pan | Banging sound. |
| ting | Sound when a ball falls through a hole in a Pachinko. |
| zaa zaa | Rain sound. |
| zabbun | The sounds of jumping into water |
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