I mentioned こんこん to a native speaker, and he hadn't heard it before.
Is こんこん the standard onomatopoeia for foxes? If not, what does the fox say?
I mentioned こんこん to a native speaker, and he hadn't heard it before.
Is こんこん the standard onomatopoeia for foxes? If not, what does the fox say?
「こんこん」 is just about the only onomatopoeia for a fox's cry. It is almost unbelievable what your native speaker friend(?) has told you.
In fact, 「こんこん」 can even mean a "fox" itself just like 「わんわん」 can mean a "dog" when speaking to toddlers.
See what デジタル大辞泉{だいじせん} says.
[副]
1 せきをするときの声を表す語。
2 狐{きつね}の鳴{な}き声{ごえ}を表{あらわ}す語{ご}。
3 固い物が軽く打ち当たったときに発する音を表す語。「扉をこんこん(と)ノックする」
4 雪や雨などがさかんに降るさま。
[名]狐のこと。
My own TL of the above:
[Adverb]:
1) Onomatopoeia for coughing
2) Onomatopoeia for a fox's cry
3) Knocking sound
4) Onomatopoeia for heavy snow or rain
[Noun]: A fox.
Here is a famous children's song about foxes which is named none other than 「こぎつねこんこん」 and I still could not believe there is a native speaker who grew up not listening to or singing it: