How to Use the Onomatopoeia “ぺこぺこ” and “ぱんぱん”
Table of Contents
1. Onomatopoeia Used in Various Everyday Situations
2. ぺこぺこ
3. ぱんぱん
4. Summary
5. Quiz
6. Similar Articles
7. Comment
Onomatopoeia Used in Various Everyday Situations
Today, let’s take a closer look at the onomatopoeia “ぺこぺこ” and “ぱんぱん.” They are often used to describe states of hunger or fullness, but they have other uses as well, which we will introduce here.
ぺこぺこ
[Meaning]
①The state of being hungry
② The act of bowing repeatedly to someone
③The state or sound of thin aluminum objects or boards denting and returning to their original shape
[Examples]
お腹がぺこぺこだ。何か食べよう。（①）
My stomach is growling. Let’s eat something.
日本のサラリーマンは何度もぺこぺこ頭を下げます。（②）
Japanese office workers bow their heads repeatedly.
フローリングを歩くとペコペコと音がします。（③）
When you walk on the flooring, it makes a sound.
The first meaning is “a state of hunger.”
This is not used for slight hunger but rather to express being very hungry.
[Example]
昨日から何も食べていなくて、お腹がぺこぺこです。
I haven’t eaten anything since yesterday, so I’m really hungry.
The second meaning is the act of bowing repeatedly to someone.
This can be used in situations such as greetings, expressing gratitude, or apologizing.
[Examples]
学生は先生にペコペコと頭を下げながら、お礼の言葉を言っています。
The student is bowing repeatedly to the teacher while expressing words of gratitude.
木村さんはぺこぺこしながら、社長に失敗の報告をしています。
Mr. Kimura is bowing humbly as he reports his mistake to the company president.
However, onomatopoeic expressions can lack formality, so be mindful of the situations in which you use them.
[Examples]
×部長は社長にぺこぺこと頭を下げています。
〇部長は社長に何度も頭を下げています。
The manager is bowing to the company president multiple times.
The third meaning is the state and sound of thin aluminum objects or boards denting and returning to shape.
When expressing an actual audible sound like this, it’s often written in katakana as “ペコペコ.”
[Examples]
アルミ缶を押すとペコペコという音がします。
When you press the aluminum can, it makes a sound.
フローリングが浮いていて、あるくとペコペコします。
The flooring is loose, so it makes a sound when you walk on it.
ぱんぱん
[Meaning]
① The state of something being swollen to the point of bursting
② Repeated sounds of bursting, explosions, or collisions
③ The sound of clapping hands or hitting objects
[Examples]
食べすぎてお腹がぱんぱんです。（①）
I ate too much, so my stomach is full to bursting.
教科書や辞書など入っていてかばんがぱんぱんだよ。（②）
My bag is stuffed with textbooks and dictionaries.
花火のパンパンという音が聞こえます。（③）
I can hear the sound of fireworks.
The first meaning is “the state of something being swollen to the point of bursting.”
This can describe both “a full stomach” and “a container filled to capacity with things.”
[Examples]
パスタ、ピザ、ステーキ、そしてアイスクリームも食べてお腹がぱんぱんです。
I ate pasta, pizza, steak, and even ice cream, so my stomach is completely full.
Ａ「かばんがぱんぱんだね。なにが入っているの？」
Ｂ「教科書と辞書．．．それからセーターとズボンも入っているよ。」
A: “Your bag is stuffed! What’s in it?”
B: “Textbooks and a dictionary… and also a sweater and pants.”
The second meaning is “repeated sounds of bursting, explosions, or collisions.”
This often represents a loud sound that surprises people. Like ぺこぺこ, this is frequently written in katakana as it represents an actual audible sound.
[Examples]
警察は犯人に向かってパンパンと銃を打った。
The police fired shots at the suspect.
大きな花火がパンパンと打ち上げられている。
Large fireworks are being launched.
Lastly, it represents “the sound of clapping hands or hitting objects.”
This can be used for repeated sounds or sounds with a slight pause between them.
[Examples]
神社で手をパンパンと二回叩いてお願いをしました。
I clapped my hands twice at the shrine and made a wish.
先生は黒板をパンパンと叩いて生徒に注目させました。
The teacher tapped on the blackboard to get the students’ attention.
Summary
[ぺこぺこ／ペコペコ]
- The state of being hungry.
- The act of bowing repeatedly to someone.
- The sound and appearance of thin aluminum objects or boards denting and returning to their original shape.
[ぱんぱん／パンパン]
- The state of something being swollen to the point of bursting.
- Repeated sounds of bursting, explosions, or collisions.
- The sound of clapping hands or hitting objects.
Quiz
Read the following sentence and choose the expression that fits the context from the options provided in the parentheses.
Click on the question to check the answer.
A. パンパン
急にパンパンという音がして、驚きました。
I was surprised by a sudden sound.
*”パンパン” is correct because it indicates a surprising sound.
A. ぺこぺこ
お腹がぺこぺこだよ。何かすぐに食べられるものない？
I’m really hungry. Do you have anything I can eat right away?
*”ぺこぺこ” is correct as it shows the desire for something to eat due to hunger.
A. パンパン
神社でお願いをするときは、お金を投げてからパンパンと手を合わせるんです。
When making a wish at the shrine, you clap your hands after throwing in a coin.
*”パンパン” is correct because it represents the sound of clapping hands.
A. ぺこぺこ
先輩は怒っているお客様にぺこぺこと頭を下げています。
My senior is bowing repeatedly to the angry customer.
*”ぺこぺこ” is correct as it shows the act of bowing in apology to the customer.
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