1.
onomatopoeia; word that imitates a sound
A word that represents an actual sound, such as an animal cry, a noise from nature, or a mechanical sound. In Japanese linguistics, this is distinguished from 擬態語, which describes states or feelings rather than sounds.
「ワンワン」は犬の擬音語だ。
'Wan-wan' is an onomatopoeia for a dog.
日本語には擬音語が非常に多い。
Japanese has a very large number of onomatopoeia.
漫画では擬音語が効果的に使われて臨場感を出している。
In manga, onomatopoeia are used effectively to create a sense of being there.
Composed of 擬 (imitate) + 音 (sound) + 語 (word). Japanese is exceptionally rich in sound-symbolic language, and linguists distinguish between two main categories: 擬音語 (words imitating actual sounds) and 擬態語 (words expressing states, textures, or feelings). Together they are called 擬声語 or オノマトペ.
EXAMPLES OF 擬音語:
- ワンワン: a dog barking
- ザーザー: heavy rain pouring
- ドンドン: knocking or banging
- ガタガタ: rattling, clattering
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 擬態語: mimetic word — describes states or feelings, not actual sounds (e.g., キラキラ 'sparkly', ふわふわ 'fluffy')
- 擬声語: sound-symbolic word — a broader term covering both 擬音語 and 擬態語
- オノマトペ: onomatopoeia — loanword from French, used as a general umbrella term