{"id":203,"date":"2009-10-11T11:54:26","date_gmt":"2009-10-11T10:54:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.morbidcornflakes.ch\/thduggies_blog\/?page_id=203"},"modified":"2015-01-10T21:45:13","modified_gmt":"2015-01-10T20:45:13","slug":"203-2","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.thduggie.com\/thduggies_blog\/203-2","title":{"rendered":"J-Slang: Japanese onomatopoeia"},"content":{"rendered":"

Japanese must be one of the richest languages in onomatopoeia, words imitating sounds; “giongo” or “giseigo” in Japanese. A great many of these consist of two syllables, once repeated, and sound a bit like baby language. Maybe that’s why I became infatuated with them, but as this affection grew, I noticed that these words are very practical, convey meaning quickly, and often surprise native speakers, because they’re rarely textbook language. (A good number of them I’ve come across in TV commercials.) So I’ve decided to compile as extensive a list of these words as possible, out of personal interest and for the benefit of anyone who desires to pick up some very Japanese vocabulary. Read them out loud and see if you can’t imagine the accompanying action or state!<\/p>\n

My Japanese is mediocre, and my translations may be off, so all contributions and corrections are more than welcome. There are bound to be more: unless I’ve miscalculated, 4489 possibilities exist to combine the 45 Japanese syllables in pairs (including the soft g-, z-, d-, b-, and p-led syllables, but excluding combinations with themself, combinations beginning with “n”, and all “kyo-” or “sho-“type contractions).<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
J-Slang<\/strong><\/td>\nEnglish<\/strong><\/td>\nContributor<\/strong><\/td>\nNotes<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
bachin-bachin<\/td>\nheavy typing<\/span><\/td>\nKishida-san<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
bara-bara<\/td>\nscattered, loose<\/span><\/td>\nthduggie<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
bari-bari<\/td>\ntearing, crunching<\/span><\/td>\nthduggie<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
bata-bata<\/td>\nrattling, commotion
\n<\/span><\/td>\n		thduggie’s piece of cardboard
\n<\/span><\/td>\n		<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
becha-becha<\/td>\nchattering, prattling, gooey, messy<\/span><\/td>\nthduggie<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
bera-bera<\/td>\nnonstop rapid talking<\/span><\/td>\nAnna<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
beron-beron<\/td>\nvery drunk<\/span><\/td>\nOlivier<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
beta-beta<\/td>\nsticky<\/span><\/td>\nTsuri-san, Suzuki-san<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
beto-beto<\/td>\ngooey<\/span><\/td>\nHiromi<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
betsu-betsu<\/td>\nseparate<\/span><\/td>\ntextbook<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
biri-biri<\/td>\nlike an electric shock<\/span><\/td>\nStef<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
bori-bori<\/td>\nhard to the bite<\/span><\/td>\nHiromi<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
boro-boro<\/td>\nrumpled, scuffed, slightly damaged<\/span><\/td>\nthduggie<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
bota-bota<\/td>\ndrip(ping)<\/span><\/td>\nSanta and her friends<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
boto-boto<\/td>\ndrip(ping)<\/span><\/td>\nSanta and her friends<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
buka-buka<\/td>\ntoo big, baggy
\n<\/span><\/td>\n		thduggie’s piece of cardboard
\n<\/span><\/td>\n		<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
bura-bura<\/td>\nidly, aimlessly (strolling or walking)<\/span><\/td>\nStef, Anna<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
buru-buru<\/td>\nshaking, shivering with cold or fear<\/span><\/td>\nRobert<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
butsu-butsu<\/td>\ngrumbling, complaining, muttering<\/span><\/td>\nthduggie<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
buu-buu<\/td>\ncow lowing<\/span><\/td>\ncapnquackenbush<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
byuu-byuu<\/td>\nwhistling (wind)<\/span><\/td>\nOhashi-san<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
chapu-chapu<\/td>\nsplashing water<\/span><\/td>\nJoseph G<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
chiku-chiku<\/td>\nprickling pain<\/span><\/td>\nStef<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
choki-choki<\/td>\nsnipping, cutting<\/span><\/td>\nKinjirou, Tsuri-san<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
chuu<\/td>\nkiss, peck<\/span><\/td>\nHolly Skewis, Erika Acosta<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
dan-dan<\/td>\nslowly but surely<\/span><\/td>\ntextbook<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
dara-dara<\/td>\nlazy, sluggish, prevaricating<\/span><\/td>\nthduggie<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
doki-doki<\/td>\nexcited, nervous (esp. in romantic situations)<\/span><\/td>\nthduggie<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
doku-doku<\/td>\ngushingly, profusely<\/span><\/td>\nthduggie<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
don-don<\/td>\nquickly<\/span><\/td>\ntextbook<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
fura-fura<\/td>\nmeandering, without direction (walking)<\/span><\/td>\nthduggie, Mishima-san<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
fuwa-fuwa<\/td>\ncushy soft<\/span><\/td>\nthduggie<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
gachi-gachi<\/td>\nchattering (of teeth), thinking hard<\/span><\/td>\nMieko<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
gara-gara<\/td>\nclattering, rattling<\/span><\/td>\nthduggie<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
gari-gari<\/td>\nscratching, clawing<\/span><\/td>\nthduggie<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
gatsu-gatsu<\/td>\nvoraciously<\/span><\/td>\nMil of the Cosmodrome<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
giri-giri<\/td>\njust barely<\/span><\/td>\nthduggie, Stef<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
gishi-gishi<\/td>\ngrinding teeth<\/span><\/td>\nJoseph G<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
gisu-gisu<\/td>\nstrained (atmosphere), thin and bony<\/span><\/td>\nthduggie<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
goku-goku<\/td>\nquickly (drinking, swallowing)<\/span><\/td>\nOkaasan<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
goro-goro<\/td>\nidle, relaxed<\/span><\/td>\nStef<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
goro-goro<\/td>\nthunder<\/span><\/td>\nStef<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
guden-guden<\/td>\ndead drunk<\/span><\/td>\nOlivier’s dictionary<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
gun-gun<\/td>\nrapidly, smoothly (aircraft, boats)<\/span><\/td>\nthduggie<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
guru-guru<\/td>\nturning round, spiraling<\/span><\/td>\nSanta and her friends, thduggie<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
gusha-gusha<\/td>\nmessed up; flowing slowly<\/span><\/td>\nTomoko Diesel, usha; thduggie<\/span><\/td>\n?<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
gutsu-gutsu<\/td>\nsimmering<\/span><\/td>\nOlivier’s dictionary<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
guzu-guzu<\/td>\nsnuffling<\/span><\/td>\nJoseph G<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
gyu-gyu<\/td>\nsquashed together (as on train)<\/span><\/td>\nJoseph G<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
hara-hara<\/td>\nuneasy<\/span><\/td>\nthduggie<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
hiku-hiku<\/td>\nsniffing, twitching<\/span><\/td>\nthduggie<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
hiri-hiri<\/td>\nhot, burning feeling (sunburn)<\/span><\/td>\nHiromi<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
iro-iro<\/td>\nvarious<\/span><\/td>\ntextbook<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
jan-jan<\/td>\na lot<\/span><\/td>\nthduggie<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
japan-japan (sic)<\/td>\nsplashing (water on oneself)<\/span><\/td>\nKishida-san<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
jari-jari<\/td>\ncrunchy, grainy (to the bite)<\/span><\/td>\nMatsuo-san<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
jiri-jiri<\/td>\nsizzling, scorching (sun), alarm bell, oozing out, gradually, irritatedly
\n<\/span><\/td>\n		thduggie’s piece of cardboard<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
jiro-jiro (miru)<\/td>\nstaring, scrutinizing<\/span><\/td>\nthduggie<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
jori-jori<\/td>\nto shave<\/span><\/td>\nMieko<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
kachi-kachi<\/td>\nticking (of clock)<\/span><\/td>\nHiromi<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
kachi-kochin<\/td>\nrock hard<\/span><\/td>\nJoseph G<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
kan-kan (okoru)<\/td>\nvery (to get very angry)<\/span><\/td>\nthduggie<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
kara-kara<\/td>\nthirsty<\/span><\/td>\nHiromi, Okaasan<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
kira-kira<\/td>\nsparkling, twinkling<\/span><\/td>\nPhilip, Mil of the Cosmodrome<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
kisu-kisu<\/td>\nkissing (duh)<\/span><\/td>\nthduggie<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
kocho-kocho<\/td>\nsecret<\/span><\/td>\nNaito-san<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
kocho-kocho (suru)<\/td>\nto tickle<\/span><\/td>\nNaito-san<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
kori-kori<\/td>\ncrunchy (e.g. biting on cartilage)<\/span><\/td>\nthduggie<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
koro-koro<\/td>\nrolling (small, round object)<\/span><\/td>\nStef<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
kotsu-kotsu<\/td>\nclicking (of high heels)<\/span><\/td>\nKishida-san<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
kuta-kuta<\/td>\ndead tired<\/span><\/td>\nthduggie<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
kuyo-kuyo<\/td>\nworry about, brood over<\/span><\/td>\nBert Dekkers<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
kya<\/td>\nsquealing<\/span><\/td>\nErika Acosta<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
kyoro-kyoro<\/td>\n(look around) restlessly
\n<\/span><\/td>\n		thduggie’s piece of cardboard<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
masu-masu<\/td>\nmore and more<\/span><\/td>\nthduggie<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
mecha-mecha<\/td>\nlots, very<\/span><\/td>\nChiharu, Nami<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
mii-mii<\/td>\nsheep bleating<\/span><\/td>\ncapnquackenbush<\/span><\/td>\nK<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
misu-misu<\/td>\nunder one’s nose<\/span><\/td>\nthduggie<\/span><\/td>\nK<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
muki-muki<\/td>\nsuitability<\/span><\/td>\nthduggie<\/span><\/td>\nK<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
muri-muri<\/td>\nimpossible<\/span><\/td>\nGillian Kalitsi<\/span><\/td>\nK<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
muzu-muzu<\/td>\nitchy, impatient, excited<\/span><\/td>\nSuzuki-san, thduggie<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
naga-naga<\/td>\nvery long<\/span><\/td>\nStef<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
naka-naka<\/td>\nhardly<\/span><\/td>\nthduggie<\/span><\/td>\n–<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
naka-naka<\/td>\nquite, rather<\/span><\/td>\nOhashi-san<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
neba-neba<\/td>\nsticky, viscous<\/span><\/td>\nthduggie<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
nita-nita<\/td>\ngrinning<\/span><\/td>\nMil of the Cosmodrome<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
noro-noro<\/td>\nslowly<\/span><\/td>\nStef<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
nya-nya<\/td>\ncat<\/span><\/td>\nNakagawa-san<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
nyoro-nyoro<\/td>\nslithering<\/span><\/td>\nMishima-san<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
pachi-pachi<\/td>\ndripping wet<\/span><\/td>\nChiharu, Nami<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
pachi-pachi<\/td>\nshutter-snapping<\/span><\/td>\nHiromi<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
pachin-pachin<\/td>\nsmall, cute<\/span><\/td>\nKishida-san<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
paku-paku<\/td>\nquickly (eating), munching<\/span><\/td>\nHiromi, Joseph G<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
para-para<\/td>\nlight fall (rain, powder)<\/span><\/td>\nSuzuki-san<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
pari-pari<\/td>\ncrispy (e.g. potato chips)<\/span><\/td>\nSanta and her friends<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
pasa-pasa<\/td>\ndry (hair, cakes, etc.)<\/span><\/td>\nthduggie, Santa and her friends<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
pata-pata<\/td>\npattering (feet)<\/span><\/td>\nHiromi<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
peko-peko<\/td>\nvery hungry<\/span><\/td>\nOlivier<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
peko-peko<\/td>\napologize excessively, with bobbing head<\/span><\/td>\nHiromi<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
pera-pera<\/td>\nfluent(ly)<\/span><\/td>\nAnna, thduggie<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
pero-pero<\/td>\nlapping (like a dog)<\/span><\/td>\nHiromi<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
peta-peta<\/td>\nsticky; pressing repeatedly<\/span><\/td>\nTomoko Diesel; thduggie<\/span><\/td>\n?<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
pichi-pichi<\/td>\nfresh, lively<\/span><\/td>\nthduggie<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
pika-pika<\/td>\nbright, flashing, sparkling<\/span><\/td>\nStef<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
piri-piri<\/td>\nhot (in taste)<\/span><\/td>\nStef, Hiromi<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
pocha-pocha<\/td>\nelastic (skin)<\/span><\/td>\nthduggie<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
poki-poki<\/td>\nsnapping, popping (e.g. twigs)<\/span><\/td>\nJoseph G<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
poto-poto<\/td>\ndrip(ping) in large drops<\/span><\/td>\nSanta and her friends<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
potsu-potsu<\/td>\nbit by bit, spotty<\/span><\/td>\nthduggie<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
potsun-potsun<\/td>\nfirst raindrops<\/span><\/td>\nHiromi<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
puchi-puchi<\/td>\npopping (e.g. ikura, bubble plastic)<\/span><\/td>\nNakagawa-san<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
pun-pun<\/td>\nangry (girl)<\/span><\/td>\nRobert Ho<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
puri-puri<\/td>\nangrily<\/span><\/td>\nthduggie<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
puri-puri<\/td>\nsmell(ing) strongly<\/span><\/td>\nthduggie<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
rabu-rabu<\/td>\nromantic (love-love)<\/span><\/td>\nStef<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
saku-saku<\/td>\ncrunchy, eating noisily<\/span><\/td>\nSanta and her friends, Hiromi<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
sara-sara<\/td>\nfluently, smoothly flowing<\/span><\/td>\nthduggie<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
sara-sara<\/td>\ndry, squeaky clean<\/span><\/td>\nthduggie<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
sawa-sawa<\/td>\nsoft?, patting?<\/span><\/td>\nthduggie<\/span><\/td>\n?<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
shaa-shaa<\/td>\nshamelessly, carefree<\/span><\/td>\nthduggie<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
shari-shari<\/td>\nluxurious<\/span><\/td>\nNaito-san<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
shiba-shiba<\/td>\noften, frequently<\/span><\/td>\nthduggie<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
shibu-shibu<\/td>\nreluctantly<\/span><\/td>\nHiromi<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
shiku-shiku<\/td>\ncrying<\/span><\/td>\nSanta and her friends<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
shin-shin<\/td>\nsound of heavy snow<\/span><\/td>\nSadako Yamamura<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
shito-shito<\/td>\nraining<\/span><\/td>\nSanta and her friends<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
shiwa-shiwa<\/td>\n(very) wrinkled<\/span><\/td>\nthduggie<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
shuwa-shuwa<\/td>\nopening a soda can<\/span><\/td>\nRoger Ferrari<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
sowa-sowa<\/td>\nnervous<\/span><\/td>\nthduggie<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
suku-suku<\/td>\n(growing\/sprouting) quickly
\n<\/span><\/td>\n		thduggie’s piece of cardboard<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
sura-sura<\/td>\nfast (writing)<\/span><\/td>\nHiromi<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
suru-suru (to)<\/td>\nnimbly (small animals, etc.)<\/span><\/td>\nthduggie<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
suya-suya<\/td>\nsleeping peacefully<\/span><\/td>\nMil of the Cosmodrome<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
tabi-tabi<\/td>\noften, repeatedly<\/span><\/td>\nStef<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
tama-tama<\/td>\noccasionally<\/span><\/td>\nthduggie<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
tekka-tekka<\/td>\nshiny, sweaty<\/span><\/td>\nAvi Fischer<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
teku-teku<\/td>\nwalking, footsteps; poke to get attention<\/span><\/td>\nKishida-san; Sarabjit<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
tikka-tikka<\/td>\nshiny, sweaty<\/span><\/td>\nAvi Fischer<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
tiri-tiri<\/td>\ncurly (hair)<\/span><\/td>\nLuiz Roberto Kamide<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
toku-toku<\/td>\npouring quickly, in gasps<\/span><\/td>\nthduggie, Mishima-san<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
ton-ton<\/td>\npatting shoulder<\/span><\/td>\nOhashi-san<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
toro-toro<\/td>\ndrowsily<\/span><\/td>\nStef<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
tsuru-tsuru<\/td>\nsmooth to the touch<\/span><\/td>\nHiromi<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
uro-uro<\/td>\nloitering, aimless wandering<\/span><\/td>\nthduggie<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
uzu-uzu<\/td>\nitching to do something<\/span><\/td>\nthduggie<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
waku-waku<\/td>\nnervous, excited, trembling<\/span><\/td>\nthduggie<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
wan-wan<\/td>\ndog<\/span><\/td>\nNakagawa-san<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
waza-waza<\/td>\ngo to the trouble of, expressly, intentionally<\/span><\/td>\nthduggie<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
zaa-zaa<\/td>\npouring rain, rushing water, white noise<\/span><\/td>\nSanta and her friends<\/span><\/td>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
zabuun-zabuun<\/td>\npouring water (on oneself)<\/span><\/td>\nKishida-san<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
zun-zun<\/td>\nrapidly, by leaps and bounds
\n<\/span><\/td>\n		thduggie’s piece of cardboard<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Notes:
\n–<\/em> used with negatives
\nK<\/em> written with kanji, thus technically not onomatopoetic
\n?<\/em> uncertain – someone please confirm!
\n“textbook” refers to Minna no Nihongo I and II<\/p>\n

Big helps:
\nJWPce waapuro<\/a> using
\nJim Breen’s Japanese-English Dictionary<\/a><\/p>\n

Harry Lawrence has written an entire book<\/a> on the topic.<\/p>\n

Joseph G. adds an important note:<\/p>\n

I noticed entries on your site’s list of Japanese onomatopoeia that would not be actual onomatopoeia because they are not derived from sounds but rather other words. There seems to be some confusion on thew part of your contributors (including the Japanese ones) as to the meaning of onomatopoeia.
\nImportant :
\nAll words that repeat their stem are not onomatopoeia. The meaning or origin of the word needs to be understood to determine if the duplication is onomatopoeic or not.<\/p>\n

Please see the Japanese section of the wikipedia entry on reduplication.
\nIn Japanese there is the tendency to modify some adjectives by repeating the stem to give them a somewhat different nuance. An example is of this is the adjective nagai \u00e9\u2022\u00b7\u00e3\u0081\u201e -long. By repeating the root without the “i” ending you get Naga-naga, which can be used to express something long in the “drawn out” or unnecessarily long as in “long-winded” sense. However, just because it is repeated does not mean that it is an attempt at imitating the sound of something too long (in duration) or someone being long winded. Therefore, this is not to be considered an onomatopoeia.
\nAnother example, “Cho” \u00e3\u20ac\u0152\u00e8\u009d\u00b6\u00e3\u20ac\u008d is butterfly but is more commonly said by repeating the Kanji rendering it “Cho-Cho”,\u00e3\u20ac\u0152\u00e8\u009d\u00b6\u00e3\u20ac\u2026\u00e3\u20ac\u008d. However, just because it is repeated does not indicate that it is in anyway derived from the sound a butterfly is perceived to make.<\/p>\n

I’ve listed below the ones on your list that are not onomatopoeia but simply derived from other words being repeated. There may be more that I’ve missed. (Interestingly, at first glance, I thought Kisu-kisu which comes from English “Kiss” was not an onomatopoeia But after looking at the wikipedia site for kiss, I noticed that is says the Old English word it comes from, “coss,” is “perhaps onomatopoetic.”)<\/p>\n

These are not onomatopoeia:
\nbetsu-betsu (betsu \u00e5\u02c6\u00a5 means separate)
\ndan-dan (dan \u00e6\u00ae\u00b5 means level or step- step by step)
\ngiri-giri (giri\u00e5\u02c6\u2021\u00e3\u201a\u0160means to cut as in deadline – just avoid getting cut)
\niro-iro (iro \u00e8\u2030\u00b2means color as in various colors)
\nmasu-masu (masu \u00e5\u00a2\u2014\u00e3\u0081\u2122means to increase-not a sound)
\nnaga-naga (see above)
\nnaka-naka (not from a sound)
\nrabu-rabu (from “love” which is not a sound or onomatopoeia)
\nshiba-shiba (\u00e3\u0081\u2014\u00e3\u0081\u00b0\u00e3\u0081\u2014\u00e3\u0081\u00b0 -is not a sound)
\ntabi-tabi (\u00e3\u0081\u0178\u00e3\u0081\u00b3\u00e3\u0081\u0178\u00e3\u0081\u00b3 -same as above)
\ntama-tama (\u00e3\u0081\u0178\u00e3\u0081\u00be\u00e3\u0081\u0178\u00e3\u0081\u00be-not from a sound)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Although Joseph is right, I’ll still keep the whole list up.\u00c2\u00a0 And one of these days I’ll get the table to look nicer and hiragana into the table.\u00c2\u00a0 Now I’m just glad to have updated it and moved it here from the former geocities location (2009\/10\/11).<\/p>\n

Do you know more onomatopoeia? Did you spot any glaring mistakes or omissions? Send your contribution to stephan.stuecklin [at] a3.epfl.ch!<\/p>\n

This site used to be at http:\/\/www.geocities.com\/thduggie\/japan\/jslang.htm, but then geocities closed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Japanese must be one of the richest languages in onomatopoeia, words imitating sounds; “giongo” or “giseigo” in Japanese. A great many of these consist of two syllables, once repeated, and sound a bit like baby language. Maybe that’s why I became infatuated with them, but as this affection grew, I noticed that these words are very practical, convey meaning quickly, and often surprise native speakers, because they’re rarely textbook language. (A good number of them I’ve come across in TV commercials.) So I’ve decided to compile as extensive a list of these words as possible, out of personal interest and for the benefit of anyone who desires to pick up […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thduggie.com\/thduggies_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/203"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thduggie.com\/thduggies_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thduggie.com\/thduggies_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thduggie.com\/thduggies_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thduggie.com\/thduggies_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=203"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.thduggie.com\/thduggies_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/203\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":946,"href":"https:\/\/www.thduggie.com\/thduggies_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/203\/revisions\/946"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thduggie.com\/thduggies_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=203"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}