ぶんぶん

ぶんぶん is an onomatopoeia imitating a continuous buzzing or whirring sound. The voiced 「ぶ」 conveys vibration and resonance.

Functions

1. Sound: the buzzing of insects, whirring of fans or motors
2. Motion: vigorous swinging or shaking (head, arms, bat)

Common collocations

• ぶんぶん飛(と)ぶ: to fly around buzzing
• ぶんぶん回(まわ)る: to spin/whir
• ぶんぶん振(ふ)る: to swing/shake vigorously
• 頭(あたま)をぶんぶん振(ふ)る: to shake one's head (emphatically, in denial)

Related onomatopoeia

• ブーン: a single sustained buzzing sound (a lone fly, an engine)
• ブンブン: sometimes written in katakana for emphasis
• ぶうぶう: grumbling/complaining; also pig oinking

Register

Casual and vivid. Common in children's speech, storytelling, and manga.