ぶーぶー
ぶーぶー
adverb, noun
honking; oinking; complaining
1.
honking sound; car horn
The sound of a car horn or similar noise. Also used as baby talk for 'car.'
車がぶーぶー鳴っている。
The car is honking.
ぶーぶーがきたよ。
A car is coming!
Baby talk for car
赤ちゃんが「ぶーぶー」と言って車を指さした。
The baby said "vroom vroom" and pointed at the car.
2.
oinking; pig sound
The sound a pig makes.
豚さんはぶーぶー鳴くよ。
Piggies go oink oink.
牧場で豚がぶーぶー鳴いていた。
The pigs were oinking at the farm.
子供たちが「ぶーぶー」と豚の真似をして遊んでいる。
The kids are playing by imitating pigs, going 'oink oink.'
3.
complaining; grumbling
The action of complaining or expressing dissatisfaction repeatedly.
ぶーぶー文句を言うな。
Stop complaining.
彼女はいつもぶーぶー言っている。
She's always complaining about something.
給料が安いとぶーぶー文句を言う社員が多い。
There are many employees who grumble about the low salary.
ぶーぶー is an onomatopoeic word with three distinct uses depending on context.
SOUND/BABY TALK:
- ぶーぶー as a noun means "car" in baby talk, similar to English "vroom vroom"
- ぶーぶーに乗る: to ride in the car (child's speech)
- Also represents the sound of a car horn honking
ANIMAL SOUND:
Represents the oinking sound of a pig. Used in children's stories and when imitating animal sounds.
COMPLAINING:
- ぶーぶー言う: to grumble, to complain
- ぶーぶー文句を言う: to whine and complain
- Casual/informal expression implying petty or persistent complaining
RELATED ONOMATOPOEIA:
- ワンワン: dog bark (also baby talk for "dog")
- ニャーニャー: cat meow
- モーモー: cow moo
NOTE:
Many Japanese onomatopoeia for animal sounds double as baby-talk nouns for the animals themselves: ワンワン (doggy), ニャーニャー (kitty).