Japanese Onomatopoeia: 50 Fun Sound Words You Need to Know
Discover Japanese onomatopoeia like ドキドキ, ワクワク, and ピカピカ. These expressive sound words make Japanese fun and help you sound more natural!
Japanese has an INCREDIBLE onomatopoeia system – way more expressive than English! From ドキドキ (heart pounding) to キラキラ (sparkling), these sound words paint vivid pictures and add emotion to everyday speech.
If you've ever watched anime or read manga, you've seen these everywhere. Now it's time to understand what they actually mean!
What Makes Japanese Onomatopoeia Special?
English has basic onomatopoeia like "bang," "crash," and "meow." But Japanese goes WAY further, with words for:
- Sounds (giongo 擬音語) – buzz, splash, meow
- Actions (gitaigo 擬態語) – sparkling, staring, wandering
- Feelings (gijougo 擬情語) – nervous, excited, irritated
- States (gitaigo) – sticky, slippery, smooth
Japanese onomatopoeia often uses reduplication (repeating sounds):
- ドキドキ (doki doki) – heart beating
- キラキラ (kira kira) – sparkling
- ワクワク (waku waku) – excited
Feelings & Emotions 💭
These describe internal states – use them to express how you feel!
ドキドキ (Doki Doki) ❤️
Meaning: Heart pounding – from excitement, nervousness, or love
Usage: The most famous emotional onomatopoeia!
Examples:
- デートの前にドキドキする (My heart pounds before a date)
- 結果を待ってドキドキ (Anxiously waiting for results)
ワクワク (Waku Waku) 🎉
Meaning: Excited with anticipation
Usage: Looking forward to something fun!
Example: 旅行が楽しみでワクワクする！(I'm so excited about the trip!)
イライラ (Ira Ira) 😤
Meaning: Irritated / Frustrated
Usage: When things are annoying you.
Example: 渋滞でイライラする (Getting frustrated in traffic)
ソワソワ (Sowa Sowa) 😰
Meaning: Restless / Antsy / Can't sit still
Usage: Nervous anticipation, unable to relax.
Example: 試験の前でソワソワしている (Restless before the exam)
モヤモヤ (Moya Moya) 😶🌫️
Meaning: Unclear / Foggy / Bothered by something
Usage: When something's bugging you but you can't explain it.
Example: なんかモヤモヤする (Something feels off / I have a weird feeling)
ドンヨリ (Don'yori) 😞
Meaning: Gloomy / Depressed / Heavy atmosphere
Usage: Bad mood or gloomy weather.
ウキウキ (Uki Uki) 😊
Meaning: Happy and cheerful / In high spirits
Usage: Light-hearted excitement.
Example: 週末だから気分がウキウキ！(It's the weekend so I'm in high spirits!)
ゾクゾク (Zoku Zoku) 😱
Meaning: Chills / Shivering – from cold, excitement, or fear
Example: ホラー映画でゾクゾクした (Got chills from the horror movie)
Appearance & States ✨
These describe how things look or the state they're in!
キラキラ (Kira Kira) ✨
Meaning: Sparkling / Glittering / Shining
Usage: eyes, stars, jewelry, or someone's personality
Example: 彼女の目がキラキラしている (Her eyes are sparkling)
ピカピカ (Pika Pika) ⚡
Meaning: Shiny / Gleaming / Brand new
Fun fact: Yes, this is where Pikachu (ピカチュウ) gets its name!
Example: 車をピカピカに磨いた (Polished the car until it shined)
フワフワ (Fuwa Fuwa) ☁️
Meaning: Fluffy / Soft / Light and airy
Usage: Clouds, bread, cat fur, blankets
Example: このパンケーキ、フワフワ！(These pancakes are so fluffy!)
モチモチ (Mochi Mochi) 🍡
Meaning: Chewy / Soft and stretchy (like mochi!)
Usage: Food texture, especially bread or rice cakes
Example: このパンはモチモチで美味しい (This bread is chewy and delicious)
サラサラ (Sara Sara) 💇
Meaning: Smooth and silky / Flowing
Usage: Hair, skin, liquids
Example: サラサラの髪 (Silky smooth hair)
ベタベタ (Beta Beta) 🫠
Meaning: Sticky / Clingy
Usage: Can be literal (sticky hands) or figurative (clingy person)
Example: 夏は肌がベタベタする (Skin gets sticky in summer)
ツルツル (Tsuru Tsuru) 🧊
Meaning: Smooth / Slippery
Usage: Smooth surfaces, bald heads, noodles
Example: 道がツルツルで滑った (The road was slippery and I slid)
ボロボロ (Boro Boro) 😢
Meaning: Worn out / Falling apart / Exhausted
Usage: Old clothes, tired person, broken things
Example: 靴がボロボロになった (My shoes are falling apart)
ボサボサ (Bosa Bosa) 🙆
Meaning: Messy / Unkempt (especially hair)
Example: 朝から髪がボサボサ (Morning bed-head)
Sounds & Actions 🔊
Classic sound effects you'll hear in anime and manga!
ガタガタ (Gata Gata)
Meaning: Rattling / Shaking
Usage: Shaky objects, trembling from cold
ゴロゴロ (Goro Goro) 🐱
Meaning:
- 01Thunder rumbling
- 02Cat purring
- 03Rolling around lazily
Example: 休みの日は家でゴロゴロする (I laze around at home on days off)
パラパラ (Para Para) 🌧️
Meaning: Light pattering (rain, flipping pages)
Example: 雨がパラパラ降っている (It's sprinkling)
ザーザー (Zaa Zaa) 🌧️🌧️
Meaning: Heavy rain pouring down
Example: 雨がザーザー降っている (It's pouring)
ドンドン (Don Don) 🚪
Meaning: Banging / Pounding / Steadily increasing
Examples:
- ドアをドンドン叩く (Banging on the door)
- 人気がドンドン上がる (Popularity keeps rising)
バタバタ (Bata Bata) 💨
Meaning:
- 01Flapping (wings, flags)
- 02Busy / Rushing around
Example: 朝はいつもバタバタしている (Mornings are always hectic)
ペラペラ (Pera Pera) 🗣️
Meaning: Fluent (in a language) / Thin and flimsy
Example: 彼女は日本語がペラペラ！(She's fluent in Japanese!)
ガチャガチャ (Gacha Gacha)
Meaning: Clattering / Rattling
Fun fact: カプセルトイ (capsule toy machines) are called ガチャガチャ because of the sound!
Eating & Drinking 🍜
Essential for describing food!
パクパク (Paku Paku) 🍔
Meaning: Munching / Eating eagerly
Example: 子供がお菓子をパクパク食べる (Kids munch on snacks)
Fun fact: This is where Pac-Man (パックマン) gets his name!
モグモグ (Mogu Mogu) 🍽️
Meaning: Chewing / Munching
Example: うさぎがニンジンをモグモグ食べる (The rabbit munches on carrots)
ゴクゴク (Goku Goku) 🥤
Meaning: Gulping down drinks
Example: 水をゴクゴク飲む (Gulp down water)
シャキシャキ (Shaki Shaki) 🥗
Meaning: Crunchy (vegetables, fresh salad)
Example: シャキシャキのレタス (Crispy lettuce)
カリカリ (Kari Kari) 🍟
Meaning: Crispy / Crunchy (like crackers or toast)
Example: カリカリのベーコン (Crispy bacon)
トロトロ (Toro Toro) 🍳
Meaning: Thick and gooey / Melted
Example: トロトロの卵 (Runny, gooey egg)
ネバネバ (Neba Neba) 🔗
Meaning: Sticky and stringy (like natto)
Example: 納豆はネバネバしている (Natto is sticky)
Movement & Walking 🚶
How people and things move!
テクテク (Teku Teku) 🚶
Meaning: Walking at a steady pace
Example: テクテク歩いて駅に行く (Walk steadily to the station)
ブラブラ (Bura Bura) 🛍️
Meaning: Wandering / Strolling aimlessly
Example: 町をブラブラする (Stroll around town)
ウロウロ (Uro Uro) 😰
Meaning: Wandering restlessly / Pacing
Example: 待合室でウロウロする (Pace around the waiting room)
スタスタ (Suta Suta) 💨
Meaning: Walking briskly / Marching
Example: スタスタと歩き去った (Walked away briskly)
ノロノロ (Noro Noro) 🐢
Meaning: Moving slowly / Sluggish
Example: 車がノロノロ進む (The car moves along slowly)
ダラダラ (Dara Dara) 😴
Meaning: Lazily / Sluggishly / Dragging on
Example: ダラダラ過ごす (Spend time lazily)
Silence & Looking 👀
シーン (Shiin) 🤫
Meaning: Complete silence (used in manga for awkward silence!)
ジロジロ (Jiro Jiro) 👀
Meaning: Staring rudely
Example: ジロジロ見ないで！(Stop staring!)
チラチラ (Chira Chira) 👁️
Meaning: Glancing repeatedly / Flickering
Example: 彼女をチラチラ見る (Keep glancing at her)
ボーッと (Botto) 😶
Meaning: Spacing out / Blanking
Example: ボーッとテレビを見る (Stare blankly at TV)
Quick Reference Chart 📋
| Onomatopoeia | Category | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ドキドキ | Feeling | Heart pounding |
| ワクワク | Feeling | Excited |
| イライラ | Feeling | Irritated |
| キラキラ | Appearance | Sparkling |
| ピカピカ | Appearance | Shiny clean |
| フワフワ | Texture | Fluffy |
| モチモチ | Texture | Chewy |
| ベタベタ | Texture | Sticky |
| ゴロゴロ | Sound | Thunder/purring/lazing |
| ザーザー | Sound | Pouring rain |
| ペラペラ | State | Fluent |
| パクパク | Eating | Munching |
| ブラブラ | Movement | Wandering |
How to Use Onomatopoeia
Pattern 1: With する (suru)
Many become verbs with する:
- ドキドキする (to feel nervous/excited)
- イライラする (to get irritated)
- ワクワクする (to feel excited)
Pattern 2: With と (to)
Marks the manner of action:
- ゴクゴクと飲む (gulp down)
- スタスタと歩く (walk briskly)
Pattern 3: As Adjective (+ な/の)
Describes nouns:
- フワフワのパンケーキ (fluffy pancakes)
- ピカピカの車 (shiny car)
Pattern 4: As Adverb
Directly modifies verbs:
- ゆっくりダラダラ過ごす (spend time lazily)
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Japanese people really use these in conversation?
YES! Unlike English onomatopoeia (mostly for comics), Japanese sound words are completely normal in daily speech.
How do I memorize so many?
Learn them in context! Watch anime with subtitles, read manga, and notice which ones appear frequently. Start with the feeling words (ドキドキ, ワクワク, イライラ).
Can I make up my own onomatopoeia?
Native speakers sometimes create new ones! But start with established words – they follow patterns you'll learn to recognize.
Conclusion: Make Your Japanese Expressive! 🎨
Onomatopoeia adds color and emotion to Japanese that's hard to achieve any other way. Start with the most common ones and build up!
Key takeaways: ✅ Learn ドキドキ, ワクワク, イライラ first (feelings) ✅ キラキラ, ピカピカ, フワフワ (appearances) ✅ These are normal speech – not just for manga! ✅ Use with する to make verbs
Your next step: Most onomatopoeia are written in katakana! Master katakana with KanaDojo → and unlock a more expressive Japanese!
ワクワクしてきた！(I'm getting excited!)
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