1.
sound leakage; noise leaking through
Sound that escapes from headphones, a room, or an enclosed space and is audible to people nearby. A common concern in public transportation and shared living spaces in Japan.
イヤホンの音漏れに気をつけて。
Be careful about sound leaking from your earphones.
電車の中で音漏れしている人がいた。
There was someone on the train whose headphones were leaking sound.
隣の部屋からの音漏れがひどくて、夜眠れなかった。
The sound leaking from the next room was so bad that I couldn't sleep at night.
A compound of 音 (sound) and 漏れ (leakage), referring to sound that unintentionally escapes from a contained space. In everyday Japanese life, this term most commonly refers to sound leaking from headphones on public transportation — a major etiquette concern.
CULTURAL CONTEXT:
Japan places high value on not disturbing others in shared spaces. 音漏れ from headphones on trains and buses is considered rude. Train announcements sometimes remind passengers about it. It also refers to noise leaking between apartments, a common problem in thin-walled Japanese buildings.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 音漏れがする — sound is leaking
- 音漏れを防ぐ — to prevent sound leakage
- 音漏れしにくいイヤホン — earphones that resist sound leakage
RELATED TERMS:
- 騒音 — noise; general term for unwanted loud sound
- 防音 — soundproofing; measures to prevent noise transmission
- 水漏れ — water leak; uses the same 漏れ pattern for a different substance