Japanese sound symbolism - part 2 - final part.

They can be classified into three main categories:

• Phonomime or onomatopoeia (擬声語 giseigo or 擬音語 giongo)

words that mimic actual sounds. Giseigo refers to sounds made by living things, while Giongo refers to sounds made by inanimate objects.

• Phenomime (擬態語 gitaigo)

mimetic words to represent non-auditory senses.

• Psychomime (also called 擬態語 gitaigo or 擬情語 gijōgo)

mimetic words that represent psychological states or bodily feelings.

 

Some examples

Sound Symbolism	Meaning
じろじろ(と)[見る] jirojiro (to) [miru]	[see] intently (= stare)
きらきら(と)[光る] kirakira (to) [hikaru]	[shine] sparklingly
ぎらぎら(と)[光る] giragira (to) [hikaru]	[shine] dazzlingly
どきどき[する] doki doki [suru]	with a throbbing heart
ぐずぐず[する] guzu guzu [suru]	procrastinating or dawdling (suru not optional)
しいんと[する] shiin to [suru]	[be (lit. do)] quiet (suru not optional)
ぴんぴん[している] pinpin [shite iru]	[be (lit. do)] lively (shite iru not optional)
よぼよぼに[なる] yoboyobo ni [naru]	[become] wobbly-legged (from age)¹

1. に (ni) instead of と (to) is used for なる (naru = become)

 

Japanese sound symbolism - part 1

This article describes sound symbolic or mimetic words in the Japanese language. Most languages have such words; for example, "bang", "zap", "ding", "slither", "pop", etc. in English. Sound symbolic words occur more often in Japanese than in English—they are found in formal as well as vernacular language.
These words cannot all be considered onomatopoeia. Many mimetic words in Japanese are for things that don't make any noise originally, most clearly demonstrated by しいんと shiinto, meaning "silently".

They can be classified into three main categories:

• Phonomime or onomatopoeia (擬声語 giseigo or 擬音語 giongo)

words that mimic actual sounds. Giseigo refers to sounds made by living things, while Giongo refers to sounds made by inanimate objects.

• Phenomime (擬態語 gitaigo)

mimetic words to represent non-auditory senses.

• Psychomime (also called 擬態語 gitaigo or 擬情語 gijōgo)

mimetic words that represent psychological states or bodily feelings.

While onomatopoeic words abound in every language, phenomimes and psychomimes are much rarer.