ざわめく
ざわめく
godan verb
to rustle; to murmur; to buzz
1.
to rustle; to murmur; to buzz
to produce a continuous low sound of many voices or the rustling of leaves
木の葉がざわめいている。
The leaves are rustling.
教室がざわめいていた。
The classroom was buzzing with noise.
噂を聞いて街がざわめいた。
The town buzzed when it heard the rumor.
ざわめく describes continuous low-level noise, either from nature (leaves) or people (murmuring).
VERB TYPE:
- Godan verb (く-verb)
- Intransitive
ONOMATOPOEIC ORIGIN:
- From ざわざわ (rustling/murmuring sound)
- The ～めく suffix creates verbs from onomatopoeia
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 木の葉がざわめく (leaves rustle)
- 森がざわめく (forest rustles)
- 教室がざわめく (classroom buzzes)
- 街がざわめく (town buzzes)
- 胸がざわめく (heart stirs with unease)
FIGURATIVE USE:
- 胸がざわめく describes inner unease
- 心がざわめく similar emotional stirring
COMPARISON WITH どよめく:
- ざわめく: Continuous, lower intensity, background noise
- どよめく: Sudden, louder, collective reaction to an event
RELATED WORDS:
- ざわざわ (onomatopoeia: rustling)
- ざわつく (to be restless/noisy)
- 騒がしい (noisy)
REGISTER: Neutral to literary. Common in both conversation and writing.