Untranslatable Japanese Words: Onomatopoeia for Complex Emotions
The Japanese language has a wide library of onomatopoeia words, and they make a frequent appearance in daily life. While onomatopoeia in the English language is usually bound to phonetically imitating or suggesting real sounds — such as animal noises and clashing objects — in Japanese, onomatopoeia words go way beyond those limitations.
There are thousands of onomatopoeia words in Japanese, used to convey everything from the rumble of thunder to the feeling of being sweaty. These can be divided in many ways. One
common classification
divides them into
giongo
(
擬音語)
, which mimic actual sounds, like a dog barking or water bubbling;
gitaigo
(
擬態語)
, which represent conditions or input from non-auditory senses — for instance, the feeling of being soaked or the sensation of walking unsteadily; and
gijogo
(
擬情語)
, which represent psychological states.
Instead of approximating direct sounds, gijogo words sonically evoke feelings and abstract concepts. Learning them provides an interesting way to not only add pizzazz to everyday conversations, but may also help to describe emotions and sensations that aren't always easy to articulate.
Here are some of our favorite emotion onomatopoeia words and their meanings.
List of Contents:
Doki Doki
Kyun
Waku Waku
Gaan
Ata Futa
Sowa Sowa
Kyapi Kyapi
Niko Niko
Guutara
Uru Uru
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Doki Doki
A speedy heartbeat from nervousness, love
Arguably one of the most recognizable gijogo,
doki doki
emulates the pulsing beat of an excited or nervous heart. Colloquially, this is most often utilized during romantic confrontations, such as making contact with a crush or a climactic love confession after a season-long buildup, but it may also be used in a scarier setting — before a test or a big presentation, for instance. Whether your heart is preparing for a fun surprise or an uneasy situation, we all know the feeling of our hearts nearly bursting out from anticipation.
Kyun
Tightening of the chest caused by strong emotions
Another cardiac-affiliated expression,
kyun
describes the sense of your chest tightening in response to strong feelings. Compared to doki doki's speedy beats, kyun
is a quick and sudden wring. This sensation may be summoned by the separation from a loved one, or perhaps when a romantic interest smiles and you feel like swooning.
Waku Waku
Excitement, anticipation
Waku waku
has gotten quite well known as well, thanks to the adorable telepathic Anya Forger from the popular ongoing manga and anime series
Spy x Family.
As a lively little girl, Anya often expresses herself through spontaneous bursts of energy, and 'waku waku'
is one of her signature catchphrases. The expression encapsulates a thrilling excitement— the kind that makes your eyes widen and almost sparkle with childlike joy. It's a bubbling enthusiasm that's hard to contain.
Gaan
Negative shock, extreme disappointment
When used in its traditional sense,
gaan
describes a loud, sudden impact. But in popular use, gaan has also become a word that reflects shock and disappointment, like a heavy cloud that now looms over your head, or as if the news literally slapped you across the face. 'Gaan'
even physically makes your jaw drop when you say it.
Ata Futa
Running in a panic
Ata futa
is the onomatopoeia for those of us who always seem to be running a little late. The word describes a feverish state — running in a panic, and in a fluster. Ata futa
is a compressed iteration of the phrase
awate futameku
, which translates to 'a swelling of panic.' It conveys an image of inflating rage, stress and/or panic from a series of unexpected events that has burst into a loss of composure.
Sowa Sowa
Restless anxiety and fidgeting, feeling uneasy from unpredictability
Sowa sowa
describes the feeling of being agitated, jittery or unable to focus — it describes a state of being fidgety and restless, either from anxiety or impatience.
Kyapi Kyapi
A high-spirited cheerful state, when someone is lively and having fun
As TW writer Alina put it: 'When the girlies are girlying.'
Kyapi kyapi
describes someone who is brimming with youthful energy— especially girls and young women, who are exceedingly cheerful and animated. A person with a kyapi kyapi
disposition is living their best life and isn't afraid to loudly display their intense passion. The image of fangirls passionately engaged in
oshikatsu
often comes to mind.
Be cautious of the slightly negative implications, as hyper-active overenthusiasm may highlight someone as a little too excited, at the cost of bringing down the peaceful environment of the people around you. When said towards girls in a negative tone, 'kyapi kyapi'
can be received as derogatory.
Niko Niko
Smiling
You may already be familiar with this word through the popular Nico Nico Douga (now named Niconico) video hosting platform, akin to Japan's version of YouTube.
Niko niko
describes a bright, cheerful smile. It'll even force you to smile when you say it. This gijogo stems from the word
nikori
, which refers to a tender grin. Through repetition of the phrase, niko niko excites a more beaming and expressive smile. To contrast, a close alternative onomatopoeia is
niya niya
— though this gives a more mischievous, sneering image.
Guutara
Slacking, feeling lethargic
For all of those who enjoy a good bed-rot on the weekends after a week of grueling work and everyday responsibilities,
guutara
will come in useful — it means lazy, sluggish or idle and is used to refer to slackers who lack the willpower to do anything. This onomatopoeia word evokes feelings of procrastination and lethargy.
Perhaps the poster child of this expression is Sanrio's lazy egg, Gudetama. Gudetama's moniker combines
tamago
(egg) with
gude gude
(lazy). Gudetama is not just simply lazy — the egg's entire personality is rooted in debilitating inactivity, where any effort is synonymous with pain.
Uru Uru
Teary-eyed and close to crying
Through one definition,
uru uru
can mean damp or moist. But it can also be applied to describe being teary-eyed. When one is at the verge of sobbing, the eyes become glazed with a glossy sorrowful wall of built-up tears.
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