Newer
Learning About Life in Japan Through Words (6) The Heart Behind a Shop's 「いらっしゃいませ」 ─ Japanese Hospitality You Meet When Shopping
06/13/2026
<- Back to blog
Japanese Onomatopoeia ②: Sound Words with 「ザーザー・ドンドン・リンリン」
Kotoba Drill Editor
Today's theme
In the previous article (Japanese Onomatopoeia ①), we learned words that express feelings and states through sound, such as 「ワクワク」, 「ドキドキ」, and 「キラキラ」.
This time, we will look at another type.
These are words that turn sounds you can actually hear into language.
- heavy rain with 「ザーザー」
- knocking on a door with 「ドンドン」
- a ringing phone with 「リンリン」
In Japanese, these are called 「擬音語（ぎおんご） [ɡʲio̞ɴɡo̞]」, sound-imitating words. They appear almost every day in anime, manga, weather reports, and everyday conversation.
Today, we will learn eight onomatopoeic words for sounds you often hear in daily life, with examples showing what kind of sound they express and how to use them.
Difference between 「擬音語（ぎおんご） [ɡʲio̞ɴɡo̞]」 and 「擬態語（ぎたいご） [ɡʲitaiɡo̞]」 (review)
As a review from the previous article, let's check the two main types of Japanese onomatopoeic and mimetic words.
| Type | What it expresses | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| 「擬音語（ぎおんご） [ɡʲio̞ɴɡo̞]」: words that turn sounds into language | Sounds you can actually hear | 「ザーザー（雨の音）」 (heavy rain sound), 「ドンドン（たたく音）」 (heavy knocking or banging sound) |
| 「擬態語（ぎたいご） [ɡʲitaiɡo̞]」: words that turn states into language | States and feelings, even without sound | 「ワクワク（楽しみ）」 (excited anticipation), 「キラキラ（光る感じ）」 (sparkling feeling) |
Use 「擬音語」 when you can actually hear a sound. Use 「擬態語」 even when there is no real sound.
Today's theme is 「擬音語」.
The eight words for today
First, let's look at the list.
| Word | What kind of sound? | In one short phrase |
|---|---|---|
| 「ザーザー」 | strong rain | A lot of rain is falling |
| 「ドンドン」 | hitting something heavy | Hitting a door or floor with a fist |
| 「リンリン」 | a small bell | A phone or bicycle bell |
| 「コンコン」 | a light knock or cough | Tapping a door with fingers, or coughing |
| 「ガタガタ」 | things shaking and hitting each other | Trains, windows, desks, and similar things |
| 「パチパチ」 | small things popping or snapping | Applause or a fire burning |
| 「ブーブー」 | a low dull sound or a complaining voice | A car horn or a complaint |
| 「ゴロゴロ」 | something heavy rolling or rumbling | Thunder, or a cat purring |
Now let's look at each one in more detail.
① 「ザーザー」
Meaning: The sound of heavy rain. It is also used for the sound of a lot of water flowing.
Do not use it for light rain. Use it when the rain is strong and falling in large amounts.
Examples:
- 「外はザーザー降りで、傘を忘れた。」 (It is pouring outside, and I forgot my umbrella.)
- 「雨がザーザー降っているので、外に出たくない。」 (Because the rain is pouring down, I do not want to go outside.)
- 「シャワーをザーザー出しっぱなしにしないで。」 (Do not leave the shower running hard.)
Usage hint: The expression 「ザーザー降り」 is also common. It sounds more vivid than simply saying "heavy rain."
② 「ドンドン」
Meaning: The sound of strongly hitting something heavy. It is a repeated sound.
Use it when someone is knocking on a door strongly. It can also mean that something is progressing or increasing quickly.
Examples:
- 「誰かがドアをドンドンたたいている。」 (Someone is banging on the door.)
- 「子どもたちが床をドンドン走っている。」 (The children are running noisily across the floor.)
- 「仕事がドンドン増えてきた。」 (Work has been increasing quickly. This can also mean progressing or increasing.)
Difference from 「コンコン」: 「ドンドン」 is a strong, heavy sound. 「コンコン」 is a light, quiet sound. Choose based on the situation.
③ 「リンリン」
Meaning: The clear sound of a small bell. It is used for phones, bicycle bells, and insect sounds.
It suggests a high, light sound.
Examples:
- 「電話がリンリン鳴っている。」 (The phone is ringing.)
- 「秋になると、虫がリンリン鳴く。」 (When autumn comes, insects chirp with a clear ringing sound.)
- 「自転車のベルをリンリン鳴らして通った。」 (They passed by ringing the bicycle bell.)
Usage hint: Because smartphone ringtones are now common, you will often see 「リンリン」 more in writing, such as novels and poems, than in actual conversation.
④ 「コンコン」
Meaning: The sound of lightly knocking on a door. It can also mean the sound of coughing.
One word has two meanings. Use the sentence context to decide which meaning is intended.
Examples:
- 「ドアをコンコンとたたいて、入ってもいいか聞いた。」 (I lightly knocked on the door and asked if I could come in. This means a knock.)
- 「彼は朝からずっとコンコン咳をしている。」 (He has been coughing lightly since morning. This means a cough.)
- 「コンコンとノックをしたが、返事がなかった。」 (I knocked lightly, but there was no answer. This means a knock.)
Caution: A cough described with 「コンコン」 sounds light. For a heavy cough, use 「ゴホゴホ」.
⑤ 「ガタガタ」
Meaning: The sound of hard things shaking and hitting each other. It can also describe a body trembling.
It is often used for scenes involving shaking, such as trains, windows, desks, and the body trembling.
Examples:
- 「電車の中で、窓がガタガタ音を立てていた。」 (Inside the train, the window was rattling.)
- 「古い机の足がガタガタで、揺れる。」 (The legs of the old desk are loose and shaky.)
- 「寒くて体がガタガタ震えた。」 (It was cold, and my body trembled.)
Usage hint: The expression 「ガタガタ言う」 also exists. In casual speech, it means "to complain."
⑥ 「パチパチ」
Meaning: The sound of small, light things popping, snapping, or hitting each other.
It is used in several situations, such as applause, fire, and static electricity.
Examples:
- 「発表が終わると、みんながパチパチ拍手した。」 (When the presentation ended, everyone clapped.)
- 「キャンプファイヤーの火がパチパチ燃えていた。」 (The campfire was crackling.)
- 「火が燃えて、パチパチと音がした。」 (The fire was burning and making a crackling sound.)
Usage hint: 「パチパチ」 for applause sounds a little light and cute. For big applause, people may also express it with 「わー」 or the more casual 「バチバチ」.
⑦ 「ブーブー」
Meaning: A low, dull sound. It can also describe a childlike way of complaining.
It has two meanings.
Examples:
- 「車がブーブー（クラクションを）鳴らした。」 (The car honked. This is a car sound.)
- 「宿題が多くて、子どもたちがブーブー言っていた。」 (The children were complaining because there was a lot of homework. This is a complaining voice.)
- 「ハチがブーブー飛んでいた。」 (A bee was buzzing around. This is the sound of wings.)
Caution: 「ブーブー言う」 can sound childish. In adult conversation, 「文句を言う」 or 「不満を言う」 sounds more polite.
⑧ 「ゴロゴロ」
Meaning: The sound of something heavy rolling slowly, or a large sound heard from far away.
It is used in several situations, such as thunder, a cat purring, and things rolling.
Examples:
- 「遠くで雷がゴロゴロ鳴っている。」 (Thunder is rumbling in the distance.)
- 「猫が気持ちよさそうにゴロゴロしている。」 (The cat is purring happily.)
- 「重い荷物をゴロゴロ引いて歩いた。」 (I walked while rolling a heavy suitcase along.)
Usage hint: The expression 「家でゴロゴロしている」 is often used to mean lying around slowly at home. This is a mimetic-word use.
How sound onomatopoeia is built (basic patterns)
| Form | Examples | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Repeat the same sound twice | 「ザーザー」、「ドンドン」、「ゴロゴロ」 | The most common pattern. It gives the feeling that the sound continues. |
| Add 「〜と」 to make an adverb | 「コンコンとたたく」、「パチパチと音がした」 | Natural when describing an action. |
| Add 「〜する」 to make a verb | 「ガタガタする」、「ゴロゴロする」 | Expresses a state or condition. |
| Use the pattern 「〜音（おと）がする」 | 「ドンドン音がする」、「ガタガタ音がした」 | Politely expresses that a sound can be heard. |
Scene ①: weather and sounds in nature
Japan has large seasonal and weather changes, so people often describe them with onomatopoeia.
- 「梅雨の時期、雨がザーザー降ります。」 (During the rainy season, rain falls heavily.)
- 「夏の夜、遠くで雷がゴロゴロ鳴っていた。」 (On a summer night, thunder was rumbling in the distance.)
- 「台風で、窓がガタガタ揺れた。」 (Because of the typhoon, the windows rattled.)
Sounds in nature often appear in news, weather reports, and conversation, so they are useful to remember.
Scene ②: sounds made by people and things
These are sounds you often hear in daily life, such as actions by people, furniture, and vehicles.
- 「隣の部屋から、ドンドンたたく音がした。」 (I heard a banging sound from the next room.)
- 「電車の中で赤ちゃんがゴロゴロのおもちゃで遊んでいた。」 (A baby was playing with a rolling toy on the train.)
- 「会議室のドアをコンコンたたいて入った。」 (I knocked lightly on the meeting room door and went in.)
Caution: similar sounds and easily confused pairs
| Sound | Situation | Easily confused sound | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 「ザーザー」 | heavy rain | 「シトシト」 | 「シトシト」 is light, quiet rain |
| 「ドンドン」 | hitting strongly | 「コンコン」 | 「コンコン」 is light knocking |
| 「コンコン」 | light cough | 「ゴホゴホ」 | 「ゴホゴホ」 is a heavy cough |
| 「パチパチ」 | applause or fire | 「バチバチ」 | 「バチバチ」 feels more intense and casual |
| 「ゴロゴロ」 | thunder, cats, rolling | 「ゴトゴト」 | 「ゴトゴト」 is used for trains, pots, and similar sounds |
Where 「擬音語」 fits and does not fit
| Fits | Does not fit |
|---|---|
| Telling a friend about a situation vividly in conversation | Public documents and reports, especially if overused |
| Showing the sound of a scene in social media or a diary | Business email, where it can sound a little childish |
| Explaining things to children or reading aloud to them | Academic papers and legal documents |
| Description in anime, manga, and novels | Formal self-introductions with people you have just met |
Rephrasing direction (kana（かな（ひらがなよみ））＋ IPA)
| Word | What kind of sound? | Example | Reading (kana（かな（ひらがなよみ））) | Pronunciation (IPA) | Usage point |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 「ザーザー」 | heavy rain | 「雨がザーザー降っている。」 (Rain is pouring down.) | （ざーざー） | [zaːzaː] | Only for strong, heavy rain |
| 「ドンドン」 | heavy knocking or banging | 「ドアをドンドンたたいた。」 (I banged on the door.) | （どんどん） | [do̞ɴdo̞ɴ] | A strong, heavy repeated sound |
| 「リンリン」 | bell sound | 「電話がリンリン鳴っている。」 (The phone is ringing.) | （りんりん） | [ɾiɴɾiɴ] | A light, clear metallic sound |
| 「コンコン」 | light knock or cough | 「ドアをコンコンたたいた。」 (I lightly knocked on the door.) | （こんこん） | [ko̞ŋko̞ŋ] | A light, quiet sound |
| 「ガタガタ」 | rattling from shaking and hitting | 「電車の窓がガタガタした。」 (The train window rattled.) | （がたがた） | [ɡataɡata] | The feeling of hard things shaking |
| 「パチパチ」 | popping or applause | 「みんながパチパチ拍手した。」 (Everyone clapped.) | （ぱちぱち） | [patɕipatɕi] | A small, light popping sound |
| 「ブーブー」 | low sound or complaint | 「車がブーブー鳴らした。」 (The car honked.) | （ぶーぶー） | [buːbuː] | A low, dull repeated sound |
| 「ゴロゴロ」 | something heavy rolling or thunder | 「雷がゴロゴロ鳴っている。」 (Thunder is rumbling.) | （ごろごろ） | [ɡo̞ɾo̞ɡo̞ɾo̞] | A slow, heavy movement or sound |
Note
IPA is approximate. Vowel length and the position of nasal sounds such as 「ン」 vary by speaker and region. Check them together with kana.
Practical usage examples (daily life and work｜kana（かな（ひらがなよみ））＋ IPA)
| Scene | Intention | Natural wording | Reading (kana（かな（ひらがなよみ））) | Pronunciation (IPA) | Point |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daily life (weather) | The rain is strong | 「外、ザーザー降りだよ。」 (It is pouring outside.) | （そと ざーざー ふり だよ） | [so̞to̞ zaːzaː ɸɯɾi da jo̞] | Vividly communicates how strong the weather is |
| Daily life (home) | The window is shaking | 「台風で窓がガタガタしてる。」 (The window is rattling because of the typhoon.) | （たいふう で まど が がたがた してる） | [taiɸɯː de̞ mado̞ ɡa ɡataɡata ɕite̞ɾɯ] | Communicates the situation immediately |
| Daily life (pet) | The cat is relaxed | 「うちの猫、ゴロゴロ言ってる。」 (My cat is purring.) | （うち の ねこ ごろごろ いってる） | [ɯ̥tɕi no̞ ne̞ko̞ ɡo̞ɾo̞ɡo̞ɾo̞ itte̞ɾɯ] | Shows that the cat is comfortable |
| School (class) | A presentation has ended | 「発表の後、パチパチ拍手してもらった。」 (After the presentation, people clapped for me.) | （はっぴょう の あと ぱちぱち はくしゅ してもらった） | [happʲo̞ː no̞ ato̞ patɕipatɕi hakɯɕɯ ɕite̞mo̞ɾatta] | The sound of applause helps the scene come to mind |
| School (health) | A friend is coughing | 「隣の子がコンコン咳してた。」 (The student next to me was coughing lightly.) | （となり の こ が こんこん せき してた） | [to̞naɾi no̞ ko̞ ɡa ko̞ŋko̞ŋ se̞ki ɕite̞ta] | Describes a light cough |
| Work (visit) | Before entering a meeting room | 「ドアをコンコンとたたいて入りました。」 (I knocked lightly on the door and entered.) | （どあ を こんこん と たたいて はいりました） | [do̞a o̞ ko̞ŋko̞ŋ to̞ tataide̞ haiɾimasɯ] | A polite description of knocking |
Small tips for using them more naturally
1) Adding 「〜と」 makes it sound like one clear action
「コンコンたたく」 and 「コンコンとたたく」 have the same meaning. However, 「コンコンとたたく」 sounds a little more written and polite.
- Conversation: 「ドアをコンコンたたいた。」 (I lightly knocked on the door.)
- Writing: 「ドアをコンコンとたたいた。」 (I lightly knocked on the door.)
2) Choose based on sound size
Sound onomatopoeia changes depending on the size and strength of the sound.
| Strong | Weak |
|---|---|
| 「ドンドン（強くたたく）」 (hit strongly) | 「コンコン（軽くたたく）」 (knock lightly) |
| 「ザーザー（強い雨）」 (heavy rain) | 「シトシト（小雨）」 (light rain) |
| 「ゴホゴホ（激しい咳）」 (heavy cough) | 「コンコン（軽い咳）」 (light cough) |
When you choose a sound that fits the situation, the situation becomes clearer and more accurate.
3) The same word can change meaning
「ゴロゴロ」 and 「ブーブー」 change meaning depending on the situation.
- 「ゴロゴロ」: thunder, cats, rolling, or lying around at home
- 「ブーブー」: a car horn, the sound of wings, or a complaining voice
Use the flow of the sentence to decide which meaning is intended.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
| Common sentence | What is the issue? | Fix (example) |
|---|---|---|
| 「小雨がザーザー降っている。」 | 「ザーザー」 is heavy rain, so it does not fit light rain | 「小雨がシトシト降っている。」 |
| 「ドアをゴロゴロたたいた。」 | 「ゴロゴロ」 is not a hitting sound. It is for rolling or thunder | 「ドアをドンドンたたいた。」 |
| 「猫がパチパチしている。」 | 「パチパチ」 is for applause or fire, not a cat's purring sound | 「猫がゴロゴロしている。」 |
| 「電話をリンリン使った。」 | 「リンリン」 is a ringing sound, so it does not fit 「使った」 | 「電話がリンリン鳴った。」 |
Summary
Sound onomatopoeia is easier to organize by sound type:
- rain and water sounds: 「ザーザー」 (heavy rain)
- hitting sounds: 「ドンドン」 (strong), 「コンコン」 (light)
- bell and phone sounds: 「リンリン」
- rattling sounds: 「ガタガタ」
- popping sounds and applause: 「パチパチ」
- low dull sounds and complaints: 「ブーブー」
- slow heavy sounds, thunder, and cats: 「ゴロゴロ」
The four key points are:
- Many of them repeat the same sound twice.
- Adding 「〜と」 makes an adverb, and adding 「〜する」 makes a verb.
- Some words can be used in several situations, such as 「コンコン」 and 「ゴロゴロ」.
- Some words are chosen based on the size or strength of the sound, such as 「ドンドン」 vs 「コンコン」.
Once you can use sound onomatopoeia, you can communicate the sounds of a scene directly in Japanese. Start with the sounds you hear often, such as rain and knocking, and try using the eight words from today.
Next time
Next time, in Japanese Onomatopoeia ③, we will cover onomatopoeic and mimetic words for texture and touch. We will look at the fun of expressing how something feels to the hand through sound, such as 「フワフワ（やわらかい）」 (soft), 「ツルツル（なめらか）」 (smooth), and 「ゴワゴワ（かたい）」 (stiff or rough). Please look forward to it.
