Examples of Japanese Onomatopoeia

From longtime reader K (who also contributed the awesome screenshots that made up the Goldmine of Engrish), I've received a huge list of Japanese Onomatopoeic words and their corresponding meanings. Whether or not you're into Japanese, it's very interesting to see how sounds change between languages, and what two languages are further apart than English and Japanese? For example, frogs say "gero gero" instead of "ribbit", and dogs bark "wan wan".

These words all come from indexes in the back of the English translation of an old manga (Japanese comic book) from the nineties, called "Fushigi Yuugi" ("Mysterious Play"). At K's insistence, I've watched a couple episodes of the anime, and it's pretty good Japanese practice because the characters seem to speak pretty rapidly, it feels really good hearing them rattle off a long sentence and understanding exactly what it means.

Here are the words, arranged into alphabetical order!! I'll make some more comments, including a guide to how to read the romanized Japanese for those who don't know any Japanese, below the list.

• a = (whoah)
  
• ba = (arrows shooting)
• ba = (whoosh)
• ba = (fling)
• ba = (fwoosh)
• ba = (shake)
• ba = (tearing off clothes)
• ba = (clench)
• ba = (pushing curtains)
• ba = (grabbing)
• ba = (whipping)
  
• bababa = (arrows flying)
• baki = (crush)
• baki = (bam)
• baku baku baku baku = (chomp chomp chomp chomp)
  
• bali bali bali = (crackle crackle crackle)
• ban = (striking rock)
  
• basa = (clothes dropping)
• basa = (whish)
• basa = (opening)
  
• basa basa = (flap flap)
  
• basha, bashan = (splash)
• bashi = (smack)
• bashi = (force field repelling)
• bashi = (crackling)
  
• bata = (footsteps)
  
• bataan = (slam)
• bi = (rip)
• biku = (jolt)
• biku = (shock)
• bikun = (sudden twitch)
  
• bo = (vwoosh)
• boki = (cracking)
  
• boko boko = (ground breaking)
• boso = (mumble)
  
• bosu = (boff)
  
• bota bota = (thud thud)
• bu = (ptooey)
• buho = (splurt)
  
• bun bun = (shake shake)
  
• byu = (vwoosh)
• byu = (flying blade)
  
• byoooooo = (wind blowing)
  
• byuuuu = (wind blowing)
• chichi = (chirping)
  
• chuiin = (spinning, cutting into clothes)
  
• da = (dashing)
• dan = (push)
• dan = (bam)
• do = (burst)
• do = (piercing)
• doooon = (da-boooom)
  
• dogimagi = (flustered)
  
• doka = (thud)
• doka = (strike)
  
• doka doka = (kick kick)
  
• doki doki doki doki = (ba-dump ba-dump ba-dump ba-dump)
  
• dokkun = (heavy heartbeat)
  
• dokun = (ba-dump)
• dokun = (heartbeat)
  
• don = (burst of flame)
• don don don don = (bam bam bam bam)
  
• dosa, dosha = (thud)
• dosa dosa = (falling objects)
• dosu = (punch)
  
• dota = (thud)
• fu = (pressure letting up)
• fu = (disappearing)
• fu = (relief)
• fu = (sudden movement)
• fu = (heh)
• fugo fugo = (hm hm)
  
• fulu fulu = (tremble tremble)
  
• fura = (falling)
  
• fuwa = (float)
• gaaaan = (goooong)
  
• gaba = (rising)
  
• ga ga = (grab grab)
• gaaa = (a mystic sound)
• gachan = (locking)
  
• gachi gachi = (shiver shiver)
  
• gaku gaku gaku = (tremble tremble tremble)
  
• gala = (crumble)
  
• gali = (biting lip)
• gali gali gali = (scratch scratch scratch)
• gan gan = (throbbing)
• gara = (rocks falling)
• gara = (door opening)
  
• gasa = (rustle)
• gasa = (someone shifting their weight)
• gasa gasa = (flipping pages)
  
• gashan = (crash)
  
• gashi = (grab)
• gatan = (chair clunking)
• geho = (cough)
  
• golon = (roll)
  
• goo = (blast)
• goooo = (roaring flames)
• goshi goshi = (rub rub)
  
• gi gi = (tightening)
• gi gi = (pulling)
  
• gii, giii = (creak)
• giku = (alarm)
• giri = (sliding)
• giri giri = (tightening)
  
• gishi = (bed movement)
  
• gu = (stopping midstep)
• gu = (clench)
  
• gugu = (squash)
• gugu = (grip)
• gugu = (groan)
• gugu = (choking)
  
• gu gu = (tugging)
  
• gui = (grab)
• gui = (yank)
• gui = (push)
  
• gula = (faint)
• gulu = (grrr)
  
• gululu = (grrrowl)
  
• guo = (blast)
• gura, gurari = (swaying)
• guri guri = (noogies)
  
• gusa = (stab)
• gushi gushi = (rub rub)
• gusu gusu = (whimper)
  
• gyaaaaa = (a loud scream)
  
• gyu = (grasp)
• gyu = (tremble)
• gyu = (clenching)
• gyu = (squeeze)
• gyu = (hugging)
  
• gyuuuu = (spinning, squeezing)
  
• ha = (gasp)
• ha = (surprise)
• ha = (realization)
• ha ha ha = (rapid breathing)
• hahahaha = (hahahaha)
  
• heta = (slump)
  
• hihiiin = (neigh of a horse)
• hiku hiku = (twitch twitch)
  
• hiso hiso = (whisper whisper)
  
• hyoi = (rising)
• hyoko = (stumble)
  
• hyooooo = (wind blowing)
• hyu = (flash)
• hyu = (flashing by)
  
• jala = (chink)
• jiiin = (overflowing emotion)
• jiro jiro = (staring)
  
• jitabata = (struggling)
  
• ju = (sizzle)
• jyu = (water sizzling and evaporating)
  
• ka = (light flashing)
• ka = (scorching heat)
  
• kaaa = (energy blast charging up)
• kaaaa = (glow)
  
• kachan = (clank)
• kachi kachi kachi = (ice forming)
  
• kachi kochi = (body tensing up)
• kala = (stumble)
• karan = (dropping chopsticks)
• karan = (klak)
  
• kapo kapo = (clop clop)
• kasha = (klink)
• kashan = (clank)
• kashan = (shutters closing)
  
• katan = (clack)
  
• katsuuun katsuuun = (clomp clomp)
• ke = (ha)
• ki = (glare)
  
• kii = (door creaking)
  
• kiiin = ("kreeee")
• kiiin = (piercing noise)
  
• kira = (shining)
  
• kolo kolo = (roll roll)
• kopopopo = (glug glug glug)
  
• koro = (turning)
• koron = (clattering)
• koso = (whisper)
  
• kotsu kotsu = (clomp clomp)
• kotsun = (kick)
• kotsun = (konk)
• ku = (straining)
  
• kukaaa = (zzzz)
  
• kuru = (a sudden turn)
• kuwaaa = (burning)
  
• kyaaaaa = (a scream)
  
• kyu = (crunch)
• kyu = (tightening)
• kyu = (tying)
  
• mosha mosha = (munch munch)
• mu = (grr)
  
• mugyu = (squeeze)
• mushi = (ignoring someone)
• musuu = (mrggh)
  
• niha = (sneer)
  
• niko = (smile)
• nikkori = (smile)
  
• niya = (sneer)
• nya = (smirk)
  
• pa = (light changing)
  
• paa = (glow)
• paaaaan = (burst)
• pacchiri = (blink)
  
• pachi pachi = (crackle crackle)
• pachi pachi = (clap clap)
  
• paka = (shell opening)
• paki = (ice breaking)
• paki paki paki = (ice cracking)
  
• pan = (slap)
• pan = (whack)
• pan = (explosion)
• pan = (breaking)
  
• pasa = (light falling object)
  
• pasha = (splash)
• pata = (ka-tunk)
• pata pata = (pitter patter)
  
• patan = (door closing)
• piiiii = (a musical note)
  
• piki piki piki = (icing over)
• piki piki piki = (shake shake shake)
  
• piku = (jolt)
• piku = (ping)
• piku = (twitch)
• piku = (surprise)
• pishaaaa = (pshiiiiing)
  
• pishan = (gleeming)
• pishi = (crack)
  
• pishi pishi = (ice breaking off)
• pishi pishi pishi = (crumbling)
  
• pita = (stop)
• pita = (freezing)
  
• poko poko = (pouring)
  
• pora pora pora = (crying)
  
• pota = (drip)
• potsun = (whisper)
  
• pou = (glow)
• puchi puchi = (unbuttoning)
  
• sa = (quick movement)
• sawa sawa = (crowd sounds)
  
• sha = (moving curtains)
  
• shaka shaka shaka shaka = (shuffle shuffle shuffle shuffle)
  
• shan = (ching)
• shiiin = (silence)
  
• shu = (flash)
  
• shulu = (clench)
• shuru = (feather movement)
• shuru = (loosening)
  
• shururu = (whirling)
  
• shuuu = (attack energy disippating)
• shuuu = (sizzle)
  
• solooo = (tiptoe)
  
• sou = (sneak)
  
• su = (taking out arrows)
• su = (raising hand)
• su = (slipping off mask)
• su = (disappearing)
• su = (extending hand)
• su = (standing up quickly)
• su = (step)
• su = (swoosh)
  
• su = (motioning silently)
• su = (rushing air)
• su = (moving curtains)
• su = (sudden appearance)
  
• sulu = (slipping off clothes)
• supo = (slipping on)
  
• suta suta = (stomp stomp)
  
• suto = (person ducking under an attack)
• suto = (landing lightly)
  
• suu = (fluid, circular motion)
• suuu = (stroke)
• suuu = (zzz)
• ta ta ta ta = (pitter patter pitter patter)
  
• ton = (thump)
• ton ton = (footsteps)
  
• toro = (slow movement)
  
• tsu = (trickle)
  
• tsuu = (drip)
• waaa = (yaaagh)
  
• waaan = (waaah)
  
• wai wai wai = (crowd noise)
• yoro = (wobbling)
• yusa yusa = (shake shake)
  
• za = (crunch)
  
• za = (stopping suddenly)
• za = (shovel)
• za = (zoom)
• za = (footstep)
  
• zaaa = (whipping through)
  
• zaaaa = (swirling)
  
• zaku = (dig)
• zaku = (crunch)
• zaku = (hack)
  
• zaku zaku = (dig dig)
• zaku zaku = (footsteps)
  
• zan = (a hard hit)
  
• zawa = (leaves rustling)
• zawa zawa = (chatter chatter)
  
• zaza = (rustle)
• zazaaaaa = (scarfing down food)
• zee haa zee = (huff puff puff)
  
• zekun = (tensing up)
  
• zoku = (shudder)
• zulu = (slump)
• zulu = (slip)
  
• zuki, zukin = (ouch, pain)
• zukin = (zing)
  
• zuru = (going to one knee)
• zu = (removing)
  
• zuzaza = (slide)
• zuzazazaa = (sliding)

MY COMMENTS

The sound effects in the original index were ordered by appearance in the manga, rather than alphabetically.

There were a lot of effects which I didn't add because the "translation" was gibberish (for example, one line translates "doku doku" as "plk plk" ???). These seemed to be more frequent in the later pages, suggesting maybe the translator got fed up with translating these sounds, and after just transcribing this list I can certainly sympathize!

I don't know why the translator uses both "L" and "R" to transliterate the Japanese alveolar tap. Both "L" and "R" are identical in Japanese.

As for reading the romanized Japanese, here's all you need to know (this is all approximate, it's not meant to actually teach you fluent Japanese pronunciation). "A" is always like in "FATHER", "E" is always like in "EGG", "I" is always like in "MACHINE", "O" is always like in "BOW", "U" is always like in "DUE". "FU" is like a mix between the "FOO" in "FOOL", and "WHO"; it's a breathy sound we don't actually have in English, but the "FOO" in "FOOL" is a good enough approximation. "R" and "L" sound like the "T" in American-English "WATER", but if that's too difficult, you can approximate them with an "L" or "R" sound. "G" is always as in "GO". Doubled consonants means you hold the consonant a little (this is hard to describe, and we don't really have it in English). Everything else is exactly like it looks.


Here are some other articles I've written on language. They'll make you go "Ahhhh!" with delight!
10 Reasons Why English Is A Hard Language
Will The Languages Of The World Ever Merge?
The Four Conditionals In Japanese
Studying Foreign Language Proper Nouns