Japanese Animal Sounds: Complete Onomatopoeia Guide
Learn how animals 'speak' in Japanese! From dogs' wan wan to cats' nyan nyan, discover the unique world of Japanese animal onomatopoeia with pronunciation guides and cultural insights.
What You'll Learn
Master Japanese animal onomatopoeia completely! Learn the sounds of over 30 animals, from pets to wild animals, with pronunciation guides. Plus, enjoy fun comparisons with English animal sounds!
はじめに
Did you know that dogs say "wan wan" (ワンワン) in Japanese instead of "woof woof"? Welcome to the wonderful world of Japanese animal onomatopoeia! 🐕
Animal sounds are one of the most fun and memorable ways to expand your Japanese vocabulary. Not only are they used in everyday conversation, but they're also essential for understanding children's books, anime, and casual conversations about pets.
In this guide, we'll explore how different animals "speak" in Japanese, complete with pronunciation guides and cultural insights that will make you sound like a native!
Common Pets (ペット)
Let's start with the animals you're most likely to encounter in daily life!
Dogs (犬 - inu)
犬の鳴き声
- ワンワン (wan wan) - General barking
- キャンキャン (kyan kyan) - Small dog yapping
- ウー (ū) - Growling
- クーン (kūn) - Whimpering
Example Sentences
隣の犬がワンワン吠えている。
The neighbor's dog is barking.
Tonari no inu ga wan wan hoete iru.
小さな犬がキャンキャン鳴いてる。
The small dog is yapping.
Chiisana inu ga kyan kyan naite ru.
Cats (猫 - neko)
猫の鳴き声
- ニャーニャー (nyā nyā) - Meowing
- ニャン (nyan) - Single meow
- ゴロゴロ (goro goro) - Purring
- シャー (shā) - Hissing
- フー (fū) - Angry hiss
Cat Sound Examples
うちの猫はいつもニャーニャー鳴く。
My cat always meows.
Uchi no neko wa itsumo nyā nyā naku.
猫がゴロゴロ言ってる。
The cat is purring.
Neko ga goro goro itte ru.
Farm Animals (農場の動物)
Cows (牛 - ushi)
牛の鳴き声
- モーモー (mō mō) - Mooing
- モー (mō) - Single moo
Pigs (豚 - buta)
豚の鳴き声
- ブーブー (bū bū) - Oinking
- ブヒブヒ (buhi buhi) - Snorting
Chickens (鶏 - niwatori)
鶏の鳴き声
- コケコッコー (kokekokkō) - Rooster crowing
- コッコッ (kokko) - Hen clucking
- ピヨピヨ (piyo piyo) - Chick chirping
Farm Animal Conversation
朝、鶏がコケコッコーと鳴いた。
In the morning, the rooster crowed.
Asa, niwatori ga kokekokkō to naita.
ひよこがピヨピヨ鳴いてかわいい！
The chicks are chirping - so cute!
Hiyoko ga piyo piyo naite kawaii!
Wild Animals (野生動物)
Birds (鳥 - tori)
鳥の鳴き声
- チュンチュン (chun chun) - Sparrow chirping
- カーカー (kā kā) - Crow cawing
- ホーホー (hō hō) - Owl hooting
- チチチ (chi chi chi) - Small bird sounds
Frogs (蛙 - kaeru)
蛙の鳴き声
- ケロケロ (kero kero) - Ribbit
- ゲロゲロ (gero gero) - Deep croaking
- グワッグワッ (gwa gwa) - Large frog sound
Insects (虫 - mushi)
虫の音
- ブーン (būn) - Bee/fly buzzing
- リーンリーン (rīn rīn) - Cricket chirping
- ミーンミーン (mīn mīn) - Cicada buzzing
Zoo Animals (動物園の動物)
Fun Fact
Many zoo animal sounds in Japanese are quite different from their English counterparts, making them especially interesting to learn!
Lions (ライオン - raion)
ライオンの鳴き声
- ガオー (gaō) - Roaring
- ウォー (wō) - Alternative roar
Elephants (象 - zō)
象の鳴き声
- パオーン (paōn) - Trumpeting
- パオパオ (pao pao) - Playful trumpet
Monkeys (猿 - saru)
猿の鳴き声
- ウキー (ukī) - Screeching
- キーキー (kī kī) - Chattering
Zoo Visit Example
動物園でライオンがガオーと吠えた。
The lion roared at the zoo.
Dōbutsuen de raion ga gaō to hoeta.
猿がキーキー鳴いて面白い。
The monkeys are chattering - it's funny!
Saru ga kī kī naite omoshiroi.
Marine Animals (海の動物)
Dolphins (イルカ - iruka)
イルカの鳴き声
- キューキュー (kyū kyū) - Clicking/whistling
- キュイーン (kyuīn) - High-pitched call
Cultural Comparisons
言語による違い
Animal sounds vary dramatically between languages! Here's a fun comparison:
| Animal | Japanese | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dog | ワンワン (wan wan) | Woof woof | Japanese uses "w" sound |
| Cat | ニャー (nyā) | Meow | Similar but with "ny" sound |
| Rooster | コケコッコー (kokekokkō) | Cock-a-doodle-doo | Completely different! |
| Frog | ケロケロ (kero kero) | Ribbit | Based on different frog species |
| Pig | ブーブー (bū bū) | Oink oink | Japanese uses "b" sound |
Using Animal Sounds in Conversation
Common Expressions
日常会話での使い方
- ワンちゃん (wan-chan) - Doggy (from wan wan)
- ニャンコ (nyanko) - Kitty (from nyan)
- モーモーさん (mō mō san) - Cow (children's word)
- ブーブー (bū bū) - Car (sounds like pig!)
Casual Conversation
あのワンちゃん、かわいいね！
That doggy is cute!
Ano wan-chan, kawaii ne!
ニャンコが窓の外にいる。
There's a kitty outside the window.
Nyanko ga mado no soto ni iru.
In Children's Language
Animal sounds are often the first words Japanese children learn:
子供の言葉
- Animals are often named after their sounds
- Parents use these sounds to teach animal names
- Picture books heavily feature onomatopoeia
- Songs and games incorporate animal sounds
Practice Exercises
チャレンジ
Try to match these animal sounds to their animals:
- ケロケロ
- モーモー
- ピヨピヨ
- ガオー
- ブーン
Answers:
- Frog (蛙)
- Cow (牛)
- Chick (ひよこ)
- Lion (ライオン)
- Bee (蜂)
Fun Activities with Animal Sounds
Animal Sound Games
楽しい練習方法
- Animal sound quiz: Guess the animal from its sound
- Story creation: Make stories using animal sounds
- Sound charades: Act out animals using only sounds
- Memory game: Match animals to their Japanese sounds
Cultural Notes
Cultural Insight
Japanese onomatopoeia is incredibly rich and detailed. While English might have one sound for a dog's bark, Japanese distinguishes between different types of barking based on the dog's size, mood, and situation!
Beyond Basic Sounds
Emotional Animal Sounds
感情を表す鳴き声
- Happy dog: ワンワン！(energetic)
- Sad dog: クーン... (whimpering)
- Angry cat: フーッ！シャー！
- Content cat: ゴロゴロ... (purring)
Animal Movement Sounds
動きの音
- ピョンピョン (pyon pyon) - Rabbit hopping
- テクテク (teku teku) - Small animal walking
- ノシノシ (noshi noshi) - Large animal walking
- パタパタ (pata pata) - Bird wings flapping
まとめ
猫の鳴き声も三年聞けば歌に聞こえる (Even a cat's meow sounds like a song after three years)
Congratulations! You've just learned over 30 different animal sounds in Japanese. These playful onomatopoeia are not just fun to learn - they're an essential part of natural Japanese conversation, especially when talking about pets or nature.
Remember, animal sounds are deeply cultural. What might sound like "wan wan" to Japanese ears could sound completely different to you at first. The key is to listen, practice, and have fun with these sounds!
次のステップ
Now that you know animal sounds, try:
- Reading Japanese children's books with animals
- Watching anime featuring animal characters
- Teaching these sounds to friends
- Creating your own animal sound stories
Keita Sensei
Founder of Suppai
Passionate about making Japanese learning accessible and enjoyable for everyone. Follow for more tips and insights into mastering the Japanese language! 🎆