Onomatopoeia is very hard to learn and study in Japanese language learning. Onomatopoeia is often used in daily Japanese conversations. I created a list of Japanese onomatopoeia based on what I see and hear often in Japanese conversation and in Manga. I hope this list of Japanese onomatopoeia helps you to learn onomatopoeia in Japanese.
Usage of Onomatopeia in Japanese
Japanese onomatopeias are categorized into adverbs, nouns, and adjectives.
When a particle ends with “な” which is na-adjective (), and “と” is adverb.
intro of Japanese adjectives
There are two kinds of Japanese adjectives:
1) い i-type adjectives.
2) な na-type adjectives.
The usage of these adjectives are modifylying nouns as below.
e.x
1) きれいな写真 /kirei na shashin/
beautiful picture
2) おもしろい人 /omoshiroi hito/
funny person
Japanese onomatopoeia is categorized into な na-type adjectives.
advervial onomatopoeia
Onomatopoeina + と + verbs
The list below includes English onomatopoeia with Japanese translation followed by the part of speech.
List of Japanese Onomatopoeia
| English | Japanese | POS (part of speech) |
| amble | ぶらぶら/burabura/ | adv |
| arf | ワン /wan/ | adv |
| baa / maa | メー /mee/ | adv |
| babble | バブー /baboo/ | adv |
| baggy | だぶだぶ/dabudabu/、だぼだぼ/dabodabo/ | adj |
| bam | バン /ban/ | adv |
| bang | バタン /batan/ , バン/bang/ | adv |
| blab / blabber | ベラベラ /berabera/ | adv |
| bleep | ピーッ /pii/ | adv |
| blink | ピカピカ /pikapika/ | adj |
| bubble | ぶくぶく。/bukubuku/ | adv |
| buzz | ブンブン /bunbun/ | adv |
| chump | ムシャムシャ。/mushamusha/ | adv |
| clack | カタカタ。カチカチ。 | adv |
| crackle | パチパチ。パチパチ。（たき火などが燃える音） | adv |
| dillydally | ぐずぐず。 のらくら。 | adv |
| ding | （鐘、金属などが）ガンガン | adv |
| ding-dong | （鐘などが）ジャンジャン、ガランガラン | adv |
| disgusted | ムカムカする | adv |
| dizzy | フラフラする | adv |
| dribble | ポタポタ | adv |
| drip | ぽとぽと | adv |
| drizzle | パラパラ | adv |
| dump | ガミガミ | adv |
| flicker | （光などの明滅を指して）チラチラ。ピカピカ。 | adv |
| flip-flop | バタバタ。パタパタ。 | adv |
| fluffy | ふわふわ | adj |
| flump | ドシン。ドサリ。 | adv |
| flush | ドバっと | adv |
| flutter | ひらひら。 | adv |
| fuss | そわそわ | adv |
| glitter | キラキラ | adv |
| glug | ゴボゴボ。ゴクゴク | adv |
| gnaw | ガリガリ | adv |
| gobble / gobble up | がつがつ | adv |
| groan | ぶつぶつ | adv |
| grumble | ぶつぶつ | adv |
| grunt | ブーブー | adv |
| guffaw | ゲラゲラ | adv |
| itch | むずむず | adv |
| jabber | ぺちゃくちゃ | adv |
| jingle | チリンチリン。（鈴などの音） | adv |
| knock | コンコン | adv |
| lap | ピチャピチャ | adv |
| limp | ぐにゃぐにゃ | adv |
| moan | ぶつぶつ | adv |
| mumble | もごもご | adv |
| munch | ムシャムシャ | adv |
| plash | （水などの）パシャッ。ピシャッ。 | adv |
| plod away | （仕事・勉強などを）こつこつ | adv |
| pow | ボカッ。ドカッ。パーン。バーン。パン。バン。 | adv |
| prickle | ちくちく | adv |
| ramble | ぶらぶら | adv |
| ribbit | ケロケロ。（カエル） | adv |
| rip | ビリビリ | adv |
| rumble | ゴロゴロ | adv |
| rustle | ガサガサ | adv |
| shaggy | ぼさぼさ | adj |
| shiny | ピカピカ。つやつや。てかてか。 | adj |
| sip | ちびちび | adv |
| sizzle | ジュージュー。 | adv |
| smooth | （表面などが）ツルツル | adj |
| snicker | くすくす | adv |
| sniff | くんくん | adv |
| snuffle | フンフン | adv |
| snugly | ぬくぬく | adv |
| sparkle | キラキラ | adv |
| splash | バシャバシャ | adv |
| splutter | パチパチ | adv |
| squeak | ちゅーちゅー。 | adv |
| squeal | キーキー | adv |
| squish | ガボガボ | adv |
| sticky | ねばねば | adv |
| sting | ちくちく | adv |
| trudge | とぼとぼ | adv |
| twinkle | ピカピカ、キラキラ | adv |
| twitch | ぴくぴく | adv |
| wheeze | ゼイゼイ | adv |
| whimper | しくしく | adv |
| wimpy | へなへな | adv |
| wobble | ぐらぐら | adv |
Enjoy reading manga!!
