Time for a Japanese language lesson. Don’t worry, I promise it will be fun. As I’ve slowly plowed my way upstream the raging river that is the Japanese language certain words have jumped out at me. Think of them as shiny little fish (oh no! I can’t get them out of my mind). Anyway, the Japanese have an incredible love for onomatopoeias, or at least funny words. I’ve tried to collect as many as I can yet it feels like every couple days I come across a new one that makes me laugh. Enjoy:
Barabara-Botsubotsu- Scattered about
Betsubetsu- Individual
Boribori- Munch, Crunch
Chichi- Dad
Daidai- Generation after generation
Dandan- Gradually
Dondon- Rapidly
Dorodoro- Muddy, Thick, Syrupy
Furafura- Stumbling off somewhere (it’s my host mom’s favorite response when I ask where my host father went!)
Fuwafuwa- Light, Fluffy
Garigari- Skin and bones
Girigiri- At the last moment; Grinding sounds
Gorogoro- Thunder and lightning; Purring; Rumbling stomach (that’s why little kids in Japan tell a big storm to go eat dinner- it’s stomach must be growling!)
Haha- Mom
Hatopopo- Sleepy
Jinjin- (lit. personperson) A man of virtue, Humanitarian
Kaka- Sound of laughter; Wife; Mommy
Karikari- Doughy
Kiki- Gleeful, Joyful
Kirakira- Sparkly
Kotokoto- Little bubbles, Simmering
Kurukuru- Spinning round and round
Masumasu- More and more
Merimeri-Biribiri- The sound of breaking branches
Motemote- Sexy, Popular
Nakanaka- Quite, Rather
Perapera- Fluent
Pecopeco- Starving
Poroporo- In large drops (like rain or crumbs)
Puripuri- In a huff
Shibashiba- Often, Again and again
Sorosoro-Bochibochi-Jojo- Soon, Gradually
Sorosoro- Slowly
Surusuru- Smooth
Tsuitsugi- One after another
Shitoshito- Gently
Yaya- A little, Somewhat
Yoyo- Night after night
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