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Sound and Action Words
Onomatopoeia in Japanese – a short list
TODAY let’s look at words that describe sounds and actions… English has a few (crack, bang…) but Japanese is literally littered with them. By knowing the most used sound / action words, you can communicate more efficiently and naturally. In many places where in English we would use an adjective, in Japanese we may use these words.
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つるつる
MEANING: Very smooth; slippery
USAGE:
バナナでつるつるすべりますから気をつけてね。
Because the banana is slippery, be careful.
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どきどき
MEANING: The effect of your heart beating; nervous;
USAGE:
納豆を見たらどきどきしました。
I saw Natto and my heart began to beat faster.
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ぺらぺら
MEANING: fluently
USAGE:
日本語がぺらぺらになりたいです。
I want to speak Japanese fluently!
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じっと
MEANING: Staring for a long time; motionless; absorbed
USAGE:
テレビでじっと相撲を見ました。
Absorbed, I watched sumo on TV
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ばっちり
MEANING: Precise; Just Right! Very good
USAGE:
試験はばっちりでした。
I aced the test!
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ぴったり
MEANING: Perfectly Matched; On Target
USAGE:
その靴はシンデレラにぴったりでした。
Those shoes fit perfectly on Cinderella.
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どんどん
MEANING: building up of events; progression of events
  
USAGE:
どんどん、日本語がうまくなります。
Little by little, (you) will become good at Japanese.
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はっきり
MEANING: Clearly
USAGE:
この眼鏡で富士山がはっきり見えます。
With these glasses, I can clearly see Mt. Fuji.
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ぎりぎり
MEANING: Just made it; just able to pass (a test); almost didn’t have enough time
USAGE:
ぎりぎりでテストにパスしました。
I just managed to pass the test.
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ぱちぱち
MEANING: clapping or eye batting
USAGE:
目をぱちぱちして。
Blink your eyes.
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