Japanese Onomatopoeia Words: Common Sound Words & Their Meanings
Last updated: January 21, 2026
If you've ever watched anime or read manga, you've probably noticed all those weird sound effects scattered throughout. Words like "doki doki" for a heartbeat or "goro goro" for rolling thunder. These aren't just random syllables, they're Japanese onomatopoeia, and the Japanese language has way more of them than English does. We're talking thousands of these expressive words that describe everything from actual sounds to emotions, textures, and even silence. Pretty cool how a language can be so specific about describing the world around you, right?
- What makes Japanese onomatopoeia special
- How to recognize onomatopoeic words: Hiragana, katakana, and kanji uses
- Animal and nature sounds (Giongo)
- Human sounds and actions
- Emotions and feelings (Gitaigo)
- Movement and actions which are using onomatopoeia
- Textures and physical sensations onomatopoeia in Japanese grammar
- Eating, drinking, and texture of food
- Sleep and rest
- Pain and discomfort
- Weather and temperature
- How to use onomatopoeia in sentences
- Learn Japanese onomatopoeia effectively
- FAQs
What makes Japanese onomatopoeia special
Here's the thing about onomatopoeic words in Japanese: they go way beyond what we think of as sound words in English. Sure, English has stuff like "boom" or "meow," but Japanese takes this concept and runs wild with it.
The Japanese language splits these words into two main categories.
- First, you've got giongo (), which are actual sound effects. Think animal noises, crashes, bangs, that kind of stuff.
- Then there's gitaigo (), which describe things that don't make sounds at all, like emotions, states of being, or the way something looks or feels.
That second category is where Japanese gets really interesting. You can use an onomatopoeic word to describe how nervous you feel, how someone's walking, or even the texture of food. English doesn't really have an equivalent system for this.
How to recognize onomatopoeic words: Hiragana, katakana, and kanji uses
Most Japanese onomatopoeia follow some pretty consistent patterns. You'll usually see repeated syllables, like "pika pika" (Shiny/Sparkling) or "niko niko" (Smiling). This repetition makes them super easy to spot once you know what you're looking for.
These words are typically written in katakana or hiragana, though you'll occasionally see kanji versions like and for the category names themselves. In manga, they're almost always in katakana to make them stand out visually on the page.
The pronunciation is usually straightforward since Japanese phonetics are pretty consistent. Each syllable gets equal emphasis, and the repeated pattern gives them a rhythmic quality that's honestly kind of fun to say out loud.
Animal and nature sounds (Giongo)
Let's start with actual sound effects. These are what we'd traditionally call onomatopoeia in English.
- Wan wan (ワンワン) is how dogs bark in Japanese.
- Cats say nyan nyan (ニャンニャン) instead of "meow." Already pretty different from English, right?
- Pigs go buu buu (ブーブー).
- Roosters crow kokekokko (コケコッコー).
Rain has different sounds depending on intensity.
- Pota pota (ポタポタ) is dripping water or light rain.
- Zaa zaa (ザーザー) is heavy rain pouring down.
- Thunder rumbles with goro goro (ゴロゴロ), which also describes the sound of something rolling or a stomach growling.
Wind makes different sounds as well!
- A hyuu hyuu (ヒューヒュー) sound when it's whistling.
- Or saa saa (サーサー) when it's rustling through leaves.
As to water:
- Water flowing gently goes sara sara (サラサラ).
- Waves crash with zabu zabu (ザブザブ).
Human sounds and actions
People make all kinds of noises, and Japanese has onomatopoeic expressions for basically all of them.
- Doki doki (ドキドキ) is probably one you've heard if you watch anime. It's the sound of a heartbeat, especially when you're nervous or excited.
- Peko peko (ペコペコ) describes a hungry, growling stomach.
Laughing has several variations.
- Gera gera (ゲラゲラ) is loud, boisterous laughter.
- Niko niko (ニコニコ) is more like smiling happily.
- Kusu kusu (クスクス) is giggling or snickering quietly.
When someone's crying, you might see:
- Shiku shiku (シクシク) for quiet sobbing.
- Waa waa (ワーワー) for loud wailing.
Snoring goes guu guu (グーグー).
coughing is goho goho (ゴホゴホ).
For the Japanese gasp onomatopoeia, you'll typically see:
- Haa (ハー) for a sigh or exhale.
- Or ha (ハッ) for a sharp intake of breath when surprised.
Emotions and feelings (Gitaigo)
This is where Japanese really shines. These mimetic words describe internal states that don't make actual sounds.
- Waku waku (ワクワク) describes that excited, anticipatory feeling. Is waku waku an onomatopoeia? Technically yes, though it's specifically a gitaigo since excitement doesn't make a sound. You'd use it when you're looking forward to something, like "waku waku shite iru" (ワクワクしている), meaning "I'm excited."
- Ira ira (イライラ) captures that irritated, frustrated feeling when something's bothering you.
- Dara dara (ダラダラ) describes laziness or doing something sluggishly.
- Shiin (シーン) is one of my favorites because it literally represents silence. You'll see this in manga and anime all the time during awkward pauses or dramatic moments. It's the sound of nothing, which is kind of brilliant when you think about it.
- Moja moja (モジャモジャ) describes fidgeting nervously.
- Uki uki (ウキウキ) is that cheerful, bouncy feeling when you're in a great mood.
Movement and actions which are using onomatopoeia
Japanese uses tons of onomatopoeia to describe how things move or happen.
- Pika pika (ピカピカ) means something's shiny or sparkling. You know Pikachu from Pokemon? The name comes from this word combined with chu chu (チューチュー), the sound a mouse makes.
- Goro goro (ゴロゴロ) describes rolling or tumbling, but also lounging around lazily. Context matters a lot with these words.
- Fura fura (フラフラ) is wobbling or staggering, like when you're dizzy or drunk. Yota yota (ヨタヨタ) is similar but more like tottering from old age or weakness.
- Kira kira (キラキラ) describes something glittering or twinkling.
- Gura gura (グラグラ) is shaking or wobbling, often used during earthquakes.
- Zuka zuka (ズカズカ) is walking boldly or stomping.
- Toko toko (トコトコ) is walking quickly with small steps, like a little kid or small animal.
Textures and physical sensations onomatopoeia in Japanese grammar
The Japanese get super specific about how things feel to the touch or in your mouth.
- Sara sara (サラサラ) describes something smooth and silky, like hair or sand flowing through your fingers.
- Zara zara (ザラザラ) is the opposite: rough or grainy.
- Beta beta (ベタベタ) means sticky or tacky.
- Nuru nuru (ヌルヌル) is slimy or slippery, like seaweed or lotion.
- Fuwa fuwa (フワフワ) describes something soft and fluffy, like a cloud or freshly baked bread.
- Mochi mochi (モチモチ) is that chewy, springy texture you get with rice cakes.
- Puru puru (プルプル) is something jiggly or trembling, often used for jello or pudding.
- Kachi kachi (カチカチ) means rock hard or frozen solid.
Eating, drinking, and texture of food
Food gets its own whole category of onomatopoeic word options in Japanese.
- Paku paku (パクパク) is the sound of eating, like chomping or munching. You'll often see it as a verb when combined with "taberu" (): "paku paku taberu" means to eat heartily.
- Goku goku (ゴクゴク) describes gulping down a drink.
- Zuzu (ズズ) or zuru zuru (ズルズル) is slurping, especially noodles. This one's actually considered polite in Japan when eating ramen or soba.
- Bari bari (バリバリ) is crunching on something hard and crispy.
- Saku saku (サクサク) is a lighter crunch, like biting into a crispy cookie or tempura.
- Pecha pecha (ペチャペチャ) describes smacking your lips or talking while eating.
- Chara chara (チャラチャラ) is the clinking sound of dishes or glasses.
Sleep and rest
- Guu guu (グーグー) is snoring, but also that deep sleep state. You might say "guu guu nete iru" () for sleeping soundly.
- Suu suu (スースー) is quiet, peaceful breathing during sleep. Gussuri (ぐっすり) works as an adverb meaning sleeping deeply or soundly, like "gussuri nemuru" ().
- Uto uto (ウトウト) describes dozing off or being drowsy.
- Goro goro (ゴロゴロ) shows up again here for lying around or lounging lazily.
Pain and discomfort
- Zuki zuki (ズキズキ) is a throbbing pain, like a headache or toothache.
- Chiku chiku (チクチク) describes a prickling or stinging sensation.
- Kiri kiri (キリキリ) is a sharp, stabbing pain, often used for stomach aches.
- Hiri hiri (ヒリヒリ) is that burning, stinging feeling you get from a scrape or sunburn.
- Gangan (ガンガン) describes a pounding headache.
- Zowa zowa (ゾワゾワ) is that creepy, unsettling feeling, like goosebumps or shivers down your spine.
Weather and temperature
- Poka poka (ポカポカ) means pleasantly warm, like a sunny spring day.
- Jiri jiri (ジリジリ) is intense, scorching heat beating down on you.
- Hiya hiya (ヒヤヒヤ) describes feeling chilly or that nervous, cold sweat feeling.
- Buru buru (ブルブル) is shivering from cold or fear.
- Shito shito (シトシト) is gentle, continuous rain.
- Para para (パラパラ) is light, scattered rain or the beginning of rainfall.
How to use onomatopoeia in sentences
Most Japanese onomatopoeia work as adverbs modifying verbs.
The basic pattern is: onomatopoeia + verb.
For example: "Doki doki suru" (ドキドキする) means "to feel nervous/excited." The "suru" (する) is a generic verb that basically means "to do," so you're literally saying "to do doki doki."
You can also attach them to specific verbs: "Niko niko warau" () means "to smile happily." Here, "warau" () is the verb for laughing or smiling.
The "no" (の) particle connects the onomatopoeia to the noun.
Some work as descriptors: "Fuwa fuwa no pan" (フワフワのパン) means "fluffy bread."
Learn Japanese onomatopoeia effectively
How many Japanese onomatopoeia words do you know? If you're just starting to learn Japanese, these words can actually be super helpful for building vocabulary. They're memorable because of their sound patterns, and they show up constantly in everyday conversation.
- Start with the most common ones you'll hear in daily life. Words like doki doki, pika pika, and waku waku appear all the time in casual speech. Native speakers use them way more than you'd expect.
- Reading manga is honestly one of the best ways to learn these words in context. The visual nature of manga means you can see exactly what action or emotion the onomatopoeia is describing. Anime works too, though you won't see them written out as clearly.
- The key is exposure. The more you encounter them in real contexts, the more natural they'll feel. They might seem weird at first, but they're actually pretty logical once you get used to the patterns.
- If you want to actually master these expressions while watching your favorite shows, Migaku's browser extension and app let you look up any word instantly, including all these onomatopoeia. You can create flashcards directly from anime subtitles and build your vocabulary through actual content you enjoy. There's a 10-day free trial if you want to check it out.
FAQs
Explore types of Japanese onomatopoeia in manga and anime
If you read manga or watch anime, you're already seeing these words constantly. They're everywhere in Japanese media. Manga artists use onomatopoeia as both sound effects and visual elements, while in anime, you'll hear characters using these words in dialogue all the time. Voice actors often emphasize these words for comedic or dramatic effect. The rhythmic quality makes them fun to say and memorable to hear.
If you consume media in Japanese, and you understand at least some of the messages and sentences within that media, you will make progress. Period.
Use what you learned today to decipher your favorite manga chapter!