くんくん

くんくん
onomatopoeia
sniff sniff; sniffing
descriptive
1. sniff sniff; sniffing
Mimetic word for the action of sniffing repeatedly, as a dog smelling something. Usually used with a verb of smelling.
The dog sniffed at the smell.
The puppy is sniffing around at my feet.
The dog sniffed the stranger's hand and then wagged its tail.

A mimetic word (擬態語(ぎたいご)) for repeated sniffing, most often a dog smelling something. It can also describe a person sniffing to detect a smell.

Usage

Common collocations

Similar words

  • すんすん: sniffling — leans toward sniffling when crying or congested; くんくん is for active smelling