Japanese onomatopeia

28 Japanese onomatopeia

 

おのまとぺ

 

 

We use many onomatopeia in Japan. If you hear Japanese native conversation, you may not understand what they are talking because they use onomatopeia a lot especially for causeal conversation.

 

Feeling
  • ドキドキ dokidoki / excited, worried..
  • ワクワク wakuwaku / excited
  • イライラ iraira / frustrated
  • ムカムカ mukamuka / irritated
  • しくしく shikushiku / sad
  • 
スベスベ subeaube / smoothy
  • ガサガサ gasagasa / dry
  • ブルブル buruburu / shivering
  • ガクガク gakugaku / shivering
  • ホカホカ hokahoka /warm
  • ポカポカ pokapoka /warm
  • 
ヘトヘト hetoheto / tired
  • クタクタ kutakuta / tired
Rain
  • 
ざーざー zaazaa  / heavy rain
  • しとしと shitoshito / light rain
  • 
ぱらぱら parapara / light rain
Texture
  • 
サクサク sakusaku
  • 
ザクザク zakuzaku
  • 
シャキシャキ shakishaki => Salad?
  • ねばねば nebaneba => Natto?
  • しっとり shittori
Impact
  • ジャーン jaaaaaan
  • ドドーン dodoooon
  • 
ドカーン dokaaan => missiles?
  • バーン baaaan => gun?
  • キラキラ kirakira / shiny

Listening

When we listen in Japanese conversation, we use “あいづち aidsuchi (give responses)” which shows response with voice like “hai”, “eh”, “un”, “dane”, “haihai” …etc. I know we listen without saying silently in English conversation but it’s not right in Japanese conversation. Silence is not listening in Japanese. This is interesting.  If you are silent while listening, your girl friend would say “Are you hearing?”.

react

If you take job interview in Japan, use these aidsuchi randomly hehe..

aidsuchi kana note
ええ Ehh formal
なるほど Naruhodo formal
うん Un casual
はい Hai formal
(そう)ですね (Sou)desune formal
ほお Hoh casual
へえ Heh casual
んだ Nda country

Conversation

A: 週末海にいってきたんだよね。すごいイケメンがいてさ!…
shumatsu umini ittekitandayone. sugoi ikemen ga itesa…
B: へー、背高い?
hee, se takai?

A: おれの彼女美人なんだよね。
Oreno kanojo bijin nandayone.
B: うん、うん
Un, un.

(null)
うん うん (When she listens about other girl is beautiful.)

Slang Japanese [Reaction]

We give response with one character like “は?”, “え?”…etc. These are like slang and casual words but we often use them in life.

image note
は?
ha?
react_ha angry
are you insane?
え?
Eh?
react_e pardon?
say again.
で?
De?
react_ha angry
So what?
あ?
Ah?
react_a very angry
な。
Na.
react_na agree / yes /
Na of Soudana
む!Mu! react_mu angry a little /
Mu of Mukatsuku means “angry”.

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