Japanese Onomatopoeia: 70+ Words You’ll See In A Manga [Guide]

When you're reading a manga, you'll probably notice some unique words scattered throughout the panels. I mean words like "ドキドキ" (doki doki) when a character's heart races, or "ゴゴゴ" (go go go) looming ominously in the background. These, my friends, are what you call onomatopoeia.

In this post, I'll teach you over 70 Japanese onomatopoeia you're likely to encounter in manga. You'll learn what they mean, how they're used, and why manga creators rely on them so heavily. By the end, you'll be able to recognize these expressions instantly and understand the mood, emotion, or action they're conveying.

What is Japanese Onomatopoeia?

Japanese onomatopoeia are words that represent sounds, feelings, actions, and states. If you've read any manga, you've already seen them. They're those katakana words that pop up around characters to show everything from footsteps to heartbeats to the feeling of being nervous.

While English mostly uses these words for actual sounds, Japanese uses them to describe things that don't make noise at all, like the feeling of being excited, the way something looks when it sparkles, or how someone moves when they're sneaking around.

This is why manga relies so heavily on onomatopoeia. A single word like "ドキドキ" (doki doki) tells you exactly how a character feels without needing dialogue or narration. It's efficient, expressive, and adds personality to every scene.

Technically, Japanese organizes onomatopoeia into five main categories:

• Giseigo (擬声語): Animal and human sounds
• Giongo (擬音語): Actual sounds made by inanimate objects and nature
• Gitaigo (擬態語): Describe conditions and states
• Giyougo (擬容語): Describe movements and motions
• Gijougo (擬情語): Describe feelings

In practice, the lines between these categories can blur. Some linguists group gitaigo, giyougo, and gijougo together since they all describe things beyond literal sound. For manga readers, what matters most is recognizing these words when you see them and understanding what they're trying to convey.

Giseigo (擬声語)

Giseigo represents the sounds that living things actually make with their voices. This includes animal noises like barking or meowing, as well as human vocal sounds like laughing, crying, or coughing. When you see these words in manga, someone or something is making an audible sound with their mouth or vocal cords.

Giongo (擬音語)

Giongo represents real sounds made by inanimate objects and natural phenomena. These are the noises you hear in the physical world around you: doors slamming, rain falling, glass breaking, or bells ringing. In manga, giongo adds texture to action scenes and helps you "hear" what's happening on the page.

Gitaigo (擬態語)

Gitaigo describes conditions and states that don't make any sound at all. This is where Japanese onomatopoeia gets truly unique. These words capture how something looks, feels, or exists in a particular state. A room can feel stuffy, a surface can be slippery, or an atmosphere can be heavy.

In manga, gitaigo helps convey texture, temperature, and the overall feeling of a scene without using lengthy descriptions. You'll often see these words floating in the background to set the mood.

Giyougo (擬容語)

Giyougo describes how things move. These words capture the manner and quality of movement, whether something is swaying gently, stomping heavily, or darting quickly. In manga, giyougo helps you visualize the way characters and objects are moving even in still panels. You can tell if someone is walking confidently, sneaking carefully, or stumbling clumsily just by seeing the right giyougo word.

Gijougo (擬情語)

Gijougo represents internal emotional states and feelings. These words don't describe sounds or visible actions but rather what's happening inside a character's heart and mind. When someone feels nervous, excited, irritated, or in love, gijougo makes those invisible emotions visible on the page.

In manga, you'll often see these words surrounding characters or appearing in thought bubbles to emphasize their emotional state. They're essential for understanding how characters truly feel, even when they're not expressing it through dialogue or facial expressions.

Why Learn Japanese Onomatopoeia?

If you're learning Japanese, onomatopoeia might seem like extra vocabulary you can skip. After all, you've got grammar rules to memorize, kanji to practice, and thousands of regular words to learn. Why add these quirky sound words to your plate?

Well, the truth is Japanese onomatopoeia isn't optional bonus content. It's woven into everyday conversation, manga, anime, novels, and even formal writing. Native speakers use these words constantly, and if you don't know them, you'll miss a lot of what's being communicated.

Native speakers use onomatopoeia all the time

In Japanese, onomatopoeia isn't just for kids or comic books. Adults use these words naturally in daily conversation. Someone might say their stomach is "ゴロゴロ" (goro goro) when it's rumbling, describe their heart going "ドキドキ" (doki doki) before a presentation, or say they walked "テクテク" (teku teku) to the station.

Manga and anime are full of them

If you're using manga or anime to learn Japanese, you'll run into onomatopoeia in almost every scene. These words appear in speech bubbles, float in backgrounds, and show up in character dialogue constantly. Understanding them transforms your reading experience from confused to clear.

Instead of seeing random katakana and wondering what's happening, you'll instantly know that "ゴゴゴゴ" means something menacing is about to happen or that "キラキラ" shows something sparkling.

They add emotional depth you can't get elsewhere

Japanese onomatopoeia expresses nuance that's hard to convey with regular words alone. The difference between "イライラ" (ira ira, irritated) and "ムカムカ" (muka muka, disgusted) is subtle but meaningful. Learning these words helps you understand not just what someone is saying but exactly how they feel about it. This emotional precision makes your Japanese comprehension much richer.

They're efficient and expressive

One word like "ふわふわ" (fuwa fuwa) can replace an entire sentence explaining that something is soft, light, and fluffy. This efficiency is part of why Japanese speakers love onomatopoeia. It lets them paint vivid pictures with minimal words. When you start using these words yourself, your Japanese will sound more natural and expressive.

You'll understand cultural context better

The fact that Japanese has hundreds of onomatopoeia while English has relatively few tells you something about the language and culture. Japanese values sensory experience and emotional expression in ways that show up in the language itself. Learning onomatopoeia gives you insight into how Japanese speakers perceive and describe the world around them.

Learn Japanese Onomatopoeia with Lingopie

The best way to learn these words isn't through memorization but through seeing them in action. Lingopie lets you watch Japanese shows and anime with interactive subtitles, so you can click on any onomatopoeia you encounter and instantly see what it means. You'll spot these words in real contexts, hear how they're pronounced, and understand exactly when native speakers use them.

Start watching, start clicking, and watch your understanding of Japanese onomatopoeia grow naturally.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use onomatopoeia in formal Japanese?

Some onomatopoeia are acceptable in formal contexts, especially those describing physical sensations or conditions. However, save the more playful or childish ones for casual conversations with friends and family.

Why do onomatopoeia words often repeat?

Repetition in Japanese onomatopoeia usually indicates continuous action or intensity. "ドキ" (doki) is a single heartbeat, while "ドキドキ" (doki doki) is your heart pounding repeatedly.

How do I know which onomatopoeia to use?

Context and exposure are your best teachers. As you read manga, watch anime, and listen to Japanese speakers, you'll start recognizing which words fit which situations naturally.

Are there regional differences in onomatopoeia?

While most onomatopoeia are understood nationwide, some regions have their own variations or preferences. The core words in this guide are universally recognized across Japan.