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It was used sort of like this:

それは響【ひび】きがものすごい

which I'm unsure whether this should translate as "that sounds terrible" or "that sounds awesome".

Google Translate suggests the former (I'm still learning, it's a huge crutch), but I suspect the latter seeing that ものすごい often means "awesome". I doubt myself though because of the stark contrast in the way I expected this to translate.

What does it actually mean?

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  • are you thinking awesome as in "that's cool", or awesome as "inspiring awe"?
    – ajsmart
    Jun 7, 2017 at 14:37
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    I'm thinking awesome as in "that's cool"
    – user22337
    Jun 7, 2017 at 14:38

1 Answer 1

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Google translate is close, but misleading. 響き has a variety of meanings, but sound and reverberation are what we'll use in this translation. For added context, 響き is frequently used in connection with explosives, but not exclusively.

ものすごい means can be translated as awesome, yes, but it isn't the "that's cool" kind of awesome. As you'll see at this link, it has an earth-shattering, awe inspiring context.

So when we say that the sound/reverberation was awesome, We are really saying that the sound/reverberation is incredibly loud. As a stand-alone statement, it is neutral, not necessarily carrying a negative/positive connotation without context.

Simply put, it translates to:

That sound is incredibly loud.

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  • But do you think his sentence is correct? Wouldn't 「その響きはすごい」 also, isn't もの meant to be used to physical things? Wouldn't こと be more fitting to that? Jun 7, 2017 at 18:16
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    ものすごい is akin to (very) すごい。 The もの in this sentence isn't necessarily used in relation to a thing. The sentence is correct, if you ask me. You should click on the link I have included.
    – ajsmart
    Jun 7, 2017 at 18:23
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    @FelipeOliveira ものすごい is its own word.
    – Blavius
    Jun 7, 2017 at 20:54
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    @Blavius because it is a composition of the two kanji together right? like 梅雨 for instance Jun 7, 2017 at 21:07
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    @FelipeOliveira japanese.stackexchange.com/q/42941/5010
    – naruto
    Jun 7, 2017 at 21:19

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