1.
sound of wings; flapping or buzzing sound of wings
The sound made by the wings of birds or insects in flight. Can refer to flapping, beating, or buzzing sounds depending on the creature.
羽音 is a compound of 羽 (wing/feather) + 音 (sound). It refers to any sound produced by wings in motion.
Usage
The sound described varies by creature:
- 鳥の羽音: flapping of bird wings (heavier, rhythmic)
- 蜂の羽音: buzzing of bee/wasp wings (high-pitched, continuous)
- 蝶の羽音: flutter of butterfly wings (very faint)
Common collocations
- 羽音がする: a wing sound is heard
- 羽音を立てる: to produce the sound of wings
- 羽音が聞こえる: to hear the sound of wings
Register
Frequently used in literature and nature writing. It is evocative and somewhat poetic, more common in written descriptions than in everyday conversation.