羽音(はおと)

はおと
noun
sound of wings; flapping sound
nature
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.
鳥(とり)の羽音(はおと)が聞(き)こえた。
I heard the sound of a bird's wings.
蜂(はち)の羽音(はおと)が耳元(みみもと)で鳴(な)っている。
The buzzing of a bee is sounding near my ear.
静(しず)かな森(もり)の中(なか)で、突然(とつぜん)大(おお)きな羽音(はおと)がして見上(みあ)げると、白鷺(しらさぎ)が飛(と)び立(た)つところだった。
In the quiet forest, there was suddenly a loud sound of wings, and when I looked up, a white heron was taking flight.

羽音(はおと) is a compound of 羽(はね) (wing/feather) + 音(おと) (sound). It refers to any sound produced by wings in motion.

Usage

The sound described varies by creature:

  • 鳥(とり)の羽音(はおと): flapping of bird wings (heavier, rhythmic)
  • 蜂(はち)の羽音(はおと): buzzing of bee/wasp wings (high-pitched, continuous)
  • 蝶(ちょう)の羽音(はおと): flutter of butterfly wings (very faint)

Common collocations

Register

Frequently used in literature and nature writing. It is evocative and somewhat poetic, more common in written descriptions than in everyday conversation.

general
Added 2026.3.15 14:53 · Revised 2026.9.4 21:29
17000/17020_haoto