Questions tagged [onomatopoeia]

擬声語. Mimetic words representing sounds.

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When is と added to onomatopoeia?

While at first I believed it was simply bound to each individual word, I've noticed that the same onomatopoeic word sometimes has と after it and sometimes it doesn't. Here's a case I stumbled upon: ...
Daniel Safari's user avatar
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What does "fūtsu" mean?

This is from Yuki-onna: Mosaku no kao ni iki wo fu-tsu to fukikaketa. The "fuutsu/fu-tsu" is written in katakana and is most likely an onomatopoeic word, related to breathing. It's not essential ...
Sophie Proud's user avatar
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How are the giongo/gitaigo double form and tto form related (きらきら vs. きらっと)

With many 擬音語 (ぎおんご, onomatopoeia) and 擬態語 (ぎたいご, mimetic words) there is a double form, where the word is repeated, and a form with っと at the end. For example: きらきら -> きらっと (sparkling) ぴかぴか -> ...
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What does むわりと mean?

I was reading something and saw the following: 小さな和室で、古い造りなので風呂とトイレは別になっている。換気があまりよくないので、白羽さんの入った後の風呂場のドアから、湿気と湯気がむわりと部屋にたちこめていた。 I can't find むわり or むわりと in any dictionaries. I'm guessing むわりと ...
Ringil's user avatar
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Why are there so many sound symbolic words?

Wikipedia states that "sound symbolic words occur more often in Japanese than in English..." Indeed, Amazon.jp has a 4500-word dictionary just for these words. Is there any research or solid ...
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Can you form verbs from 擬態語 or 擬音語 by adding -る?

I know that you can form a verb from 擬態語 or 擬音語 by adding する after them, but in this sentence it appears the writer used -る instead. 会場に向かう前にもじゃった髪の毛をどうにかしようと行きつけの美容院に行ったんです。 Is it something ...
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What does どぼり mean?

I know that it's an onomatopoeia, and it's an adverb that can take the と particle. The context goes something like this. There is an object. The object in question is filled with a liquid. The object ...
Micheal Gignac's user avatar
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How do I translate 「コロッと転がってたりする」 to english?

I've encountered the following sentence in a game: 時には後ろを振り返ると案外役に立つ事がコロッと転がってたりするもんだ。 First, I'd like to understand why the "to" in コロッと isn't in katakana like the rest of the word, why the ...
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Is こんこん onomatopoeia for foxes?

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?
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Why is it お[腹]{なか}が[空]{す}いた but [腹]{はら}[減]{へ}った?

Is there any particular reason why the noun おなか goes with verb すく while the noun はら goes with the verb へる? Would it be weird if I use おなかへった or はらすいた? While on the same topic, does the 'starving' ...
Lukman's user avatar
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Questions on the word シクシク

I understand that the word シクシク is 擬声語/giseigo/onomatopoeia equivalent to the English "boo-hoo/boo-hoo-hoo." 恐怖でシクシク泣く : To whimper in fear 彼女はボーイフレンドに捨てられた時、あまりの惨めさにシクシクと泣いた。 : She wailed ...
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Is the scream "gya" masculine and "kya" feminine?

I don't speak Japanese, but I notice in some manga (like Mr. Fullswing for example), male characters tend to scream "gya" or "guwa" while female characters tend to scream "kya". Is it true that "gya" ...
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What does バタバタ mean?

What does バタバタ mean? コラム書かなきゃ。映像チェックしなきゃ。アレも書かなきゃ。アレも考えなきゃ。バタバタバタ子さん(´・_・`) Everything make sense to me except for the last part.
language hacker's user avatar
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A quick question about funny sexuality-related words

In the manga Dragon Ball, a girl is captured and frightened to be sexually harassed. It turns out the sexual torture is simply a blown kiss. She then says: ...
Alox's user avatar
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How are custom onomatopoeia made?

I am currently reading a recently released remake of 月姫, and I encountered the following sentence: 指で触ってみたら、つぷり、と指先が沈みこんだ The context is that the character can see lines that no one else can, and he ...
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Meaning of onomatopoeia バン / ババン / バーン

Whilst reading Japanese manga, to assist me in learning, I frequently come across a few actions that I am completely unfamiliar with. (Section is circled in red): It even appears in fan art (this ...
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Meaning of シャキン or シャッキン used to support someone

In a manga, before the start of a boxing match, one of the boxers looks at his friends in the audience and says: シャキ〜ン Then they reply more or less in the same way: しゃっきい〜ん What is the meaning ...
Marco's user avatar
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Does anyone knows the meaning of "モゾリと"?

An example of where it was found: 慌てて口元を塞ぎながら、部屋の中でモゾリと動いていた影に、慌てて蹴りを入れる。
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