A Guide to Japanese Onomatopoeia (Part 2) đ¶Weather & Actions
- Mako
- May 13
- 2 min read
Updated: May 18
In our previous guide, we looked at how onomatopoeia can describe food and feelings. In this second part, weâre diving into two more essential categories: Weather and Daily Actions.
Japanese people use these words every day to add extra detail to how things are happening. Instead of just saying "It's raining," using an onomatopoeia tells the listener exactly how it's raining.
1. Weather: Describing the Atmosphere âïžâïž
In Japan, the weather is a very common topic of conversation. These words help you describe everything from a beautiful starry night to a humid summer afternoon.
Onomatopoeia | Meaning | Example Scenario |
ăăŒăăŒ (Zaa-zaa) | Heavy, pouring rain. | Getting soaked without an umbrella. |
ăłă ăŒăłă ăŒ (Byuu-byuu) | Strong, howling wind. | A stormy day where the wind is whistling. |
ăăăă (Goro-goro) | Rumbling thunder. | Hearing a storm approaching from far away. |
ăŽăăŽă (Pika-pika) | Flashing lightning. | A bright flash in the sky during a storm. |
ăăăă (Kira-kira) | Sparkling or twinkling. | Stars in the night sky or sunlight on water. |
ăăăă (Mushi-mushi) | Humid and muggy. | A typical, sticky summer day in Tokyo. |
ăăšăăš (Shito-shito) | Gentle, quiet rain. | A calm rainy day (very common in June). |
ăœăăœă (Poka-poka) | Pleasantly warm. | Sitting in the sun on a nice spring day. |
2. Actions: How are you doing things? đââïžđ
These words describe the "manner" in which someone does an action. They are incredibly useful for adding nuance to your verbs.
Onomatopoeia | Meaning | Example Scenario |
ăăăă (Goro-goro) | Lazing around / Rolling. | Spending your whole Sunday on the sofa. |
ă¶ăă¶ă (Bura-bura) | Wandering or strolling. | Walking around a city with no specific goal. |
ăžăšăžăš (Heto-heto) | Completely exhausted. | How you feel after a 12-hour flight. |
ășăășă (Peko-peko) | Starving / Very hungry. | Your stomach feels empty and "caved in." |
ă ăă ă (Dara-dara) | Sluggish or doing nothing. | Procrastinating or working without energy. |
ăŠăă±ă (Teki-paki) | Briskly and efficiently. | Someone who cleans the house very quickly. |
ăăăă (Uro-uro) | Wandering aimlessly / Lost. | Walking back and forth trying to find an exit. |
ăźăłăźăł (Nobi-nobi) | Relaxed and carefree. | Feeling free and stretched out on a holiday. |
A Quick Note on "Goro-goro" (ăăăă) âĄïžđ
You might have noticed Goro-goro appears in both lists! In Japanese, some onomatopoeia have multiple meanings depending on the context:
Weather:Â The sound of heavy thunder rumbling.
Action:Â The act of "rolling around" or lazing at home doing nothing.
Why these words matter đĄ
Using words like Teki-paki or Heto-heto helps you sound much more like a native speaker. It moves you away from simple "adjective + verb" structures and into a more natural, rhythmic way of speaking.
Next time it rains or you feel a bit tired, try using one of these instead of a long explanation!
Your Turn! How was your weekend? Were you Teki-paki cleaning the house, or just Goro-goro on the couch? Let us know in the comments!
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