1.
laughing loudly, guffawing
Laughing in a loud, boisterous manner.
げらげら is an onomatopoeia for loud, boisterous laughter.
Register
Casual. Can sound somewhat crude or impolite - implies unrestrained, possibly inappropriate laughter.
Common patterns
Contrast with other laughter words
- げらげら: loud guffawing (crude)
- くすくす: quiet giggling (stifled)
- にこにこ: smiling (no sound)
- けらけら: cackling (similar to げらげら but higher pitch)
- ははは/あはは: regular laughing sounds
Usage
Using げらげら to describe someone's laughter can be unflattering, implying lack of refinement.
Related Words
Compare:
くすくす (quiet giggling)
Compare:
にこにこ (smiling)
Compare:
けらけら (cackling)
Compare:
へらへら (grinning foolishly)