ぶうぶう

ぶうぶう
adverb, onomatopoeia
grumbling; oinking; honking
descriptiveonomatopoeia
1. grumbling; complaining noisily
The manner of grumbling, muttering complaints, or expressing dissatisfaction in a sustained, irritating way.
子供(こども)がぶうぶう文句(もんく)を言(い)う。
The child grumbles and complains.
残業(ざんぎょう)を頼(たの)まれてみんなぶうぶう文句(もんく)を言(い)っていた。
Everyone was grumbling when they were asked to work overtime.
値上(ねあ)げに消費者(しょうひしゃ)がぶうぶうと不満(ふまん)を漏(も)らしている。
Consumers are grumbling with dissatisfaction over the price hike.
2. oinking (a pig); honking (a horn or buzzer)
A low buzzing or honking sound—pigs oinking, a car horn, or a buzzer signaling a wrong answer on a quiz show.
豚(ぶた)がぶうぶう鳴(な)いている。
The pig is oinking.
後(うし)ろの車(くるま)がぶうぶうクラクションを鳴(な)らした。
The car behind honked its horn repeatedly.
クイズに間違(まちが)えるとぶうぶうとブザーが鳴(な)る。
When you get a quiz question wrong, the buzzer goes off with a honk.

The same low buzzing sound underlies both senses: a complaining murmur and an actual honk/oink.

Common collocations

Similar words

  • ぶつぶつ: muttering under one's breath — quieter, more inward
  • ぐずぐず: whining or dragging feet — closer to childish reluctance
  • ブーブー: written in katakana, often a baby-talk word for "car"

Related Words

Compare: ぶつぶつ (muttering under one's breath)
Compare: ぐずぐず (whining or dragging feet)
Compare: ぶーぶー (written in katakana, often a baby-talk…)
Compare: ぶーん (buzzing)
general
Added 2026.6.8 16:55 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
28500/28989_buubuu