Few features of Japanese are as colorful as onomatopoeia. Unlike English, where onomatopoeia is mostly limited to sound effects (buzz, bang), Japanese uses it to express feelings, textures, movements, weather, and states of mind. These words are short, rhythmic, and often doubled, making them easy to remember and fun to use.

Here’s a guide to both common expressions you’ll hear daily and quirky, specific ones that will enrich you vocabulary.

Common Japanese Onomatopoeias You’ll Hear Everywhere

• わくわく (waku waku): A bubbling feeling of excitement or anticipation.
  わくわくしながらプレゼントの箱を開けた。
  I was so excited when I opened up my present.
• どきどき (doki doki): The sound and feeling of a racing heartbeat, from nerves or thrill.
  テストの前でどきどきする。
  My heart races before the test.
• ぴかぴか (pika pika): Shiny, sparkling, or brand new.
  新しい靴がぴかぴかだ。
  My new shoes are sparkling clean.
• ぐっすり (gussuri): Sleeping soundly and deeply.
  子どもはぐっすり眠っている。
  The child is fast asleep.
• ざあざあ (zaa zaa): The noisy rush of pouring rain.
  雨がざあざあ降っている。
  It’s raining heavily.
• ぐるぐる (guru guru): Turning round and round, spinning, or winding.
  頭がぐるぐる回る。
  My head is spinning.
  Fans of Crayon Shin-chan will recognize this one—Shin-chan often shouts guru guru in his silly adventures.

More Specific Japanese Onomatopoeias

• しとしと (shito shito): Soft, steady drizzle; quiet, melancholic rain.
  梅雨の雨がしとしと降っている。
  The rainy season brings a gentle drizzle.
• もやもや (moya moya): A hazy, stuck, or uneasy feeling inside.
  心がもやもやして眠れない。
  I feel restless and can’t sleep.
• ぬるぬる (nuru nuru): Slimy, slippery texture—like fish or seaweed.
  魚がぬるぬるしている。
  The fish feels slimy.
• ぎらぎら (gira gira): Harsh, glaring brightness, often unpleasant.
  太陽がぎらぎらと照りつける。
  The sun blazes down harshly.
• ちくちく (chiku chiku): Prickly or stinging sensation.
  毛糸のセーターがちくちくする。
  This wool sweater feels prickly.
• うとうと (uto uto): Light dozing or nodding off.
  電車の中でうとうとしてしまった。
  I dozed off on the train.
• ぞくぞく (zoku zoku): A shiver, from cold, fear, or excitement.
  ホラー映画を見てぞくぞくした。
  I got chills watching the horror movie.
• べたべた (beta beta): Sticky or clingy, physically or emotionally.
  夏は汗で体がべたべたする。
  My body gets sticky with sweat in summer.
• だらだら (dara dara): Moving lazily, dragging on without purpose.
  日曜日はだらだら過ごした。
  I spent Sunday lazing around.

Why It Matters

Japanese onomatopoeia isn’t just cute, it’s practical. It makes conversation livelier, captures subtle cultural nuance, and helps learners sound more natural. Whether you’re waku waku about a trip, stuck in moya moya thoughts, or enjoying a gussuri nap, these words turn everyday life into vivid sound.

You might also like reading our Fresh Ink translation series, where we publish the English-language debuts of Japanese literary texts.

Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on December 2011, updated for metropolisjapan.com in September 2025.