Onomatopoeia – Difference between “はらはら” “ぱらぱら” and “ばらばら”
Table of Contents
1. Difference between “はらはら” “ぱらぱら” and “ばらばら”
2. はらはら
3. ぱらぱら
4. ばらばら
5. Summary
6. Similer Articles
7. Comment
Q: There are so many similar-sounding onomatopoeic words. How can I tell the difference?
A: In Japanese, onomatopoeia can have very different meanings even with small sound changes, such as between “は,” “ぱ,” and “ば.”
In this article, we’ll explore the subtle and interesting differences between はらはら, ぱらぱら, and ばらばら, and how to use each one correctly.
はらはら
[Meaning]
① The slow and continuous falling of small, light, thin things
(e.g., petals, leaves)
② A feeling of nervousness or unease caused by worry or anxiety
[Usage Tips]
① is often used in poetic or visually descriptive scenes
② is a common emotional expression used frequently in daily conversation
[Examples]
はらはらと舞うピンクの花びらが美しいですね。（①）
The pink petals fluttering down gently are so beautiful.
木の葉がはらはらと落ちてきました。（①）
The leaves from the trees were falling gently.
子どもが高い遊具に登っていて、見ていてはらはらしました。（②）
The child was climbing a tall piece of playground equipment, and just watching made me nervous.
このアクション映画ははらはらさせられる場面が多かったです。（②）
This action movie had many suspenseful scenes that kept me on edge.
“はらはら” is an onomatopoeic expression that describes both visual scenes and emotional states.
① Visual “はらはら”
It expresses the quiet, graceful falling of small, light, and thin things.
It is often used in poetic or emotional descriptions, such as petals or leaves gently drifting down.
[Examples]
桜の花びらがはらはらと舞う中で、写真を撮りました。
I took a photo while cherry blossom petals fluttered down gently.
紙吹雪がはらはらと舞って、会場が幻想的な雰囲気になりました。
Confetti fluttered through the air, creating a magical atmosphere in the venue.
② Emotional “はらはら”
It expresses a feeling of anxiety or worry when you sense that something bad might happen.
In this meaning, it is commonly used in everyday conversation.
[Examples]
映画の結末がわからなくて、はらはらしながら見ていました。
I didn’t know how the movie would end, so I watched it on the edge of my seat.
サーカスはおもしろいけれど、危険な演技が多くてはらはらします。
The circus is fun, but the dangerous stunts make me feel nervous.
ぱらぱら
[Meaning]
① The sound or appearance of small, light things scattering or falling little by little in a sparse manner
(e.g., rain, snow, petals, fine seasonings)
② A sparse or scattered presence of people or objects
③ The light sound or motion of flipping through pages of paper or a book one after another
[Usage Tips]
It conveys both visual and auditory impressions, characterized by nuances such as “little by little,” “sparsely,” and “lightly.”
[Examples]
雨がぱらぱらと降ってきました。（①）
It started to rain lightly, with small drops falling here and there.
店には客がぱらぱらとしかいなくて、とても空いていました。（②）
There were only a few customers in the shop, and it felt very empty.
父は新聞をぱらぱらとめくっています。（③）
My father is flipping through the newspaper.
It expresses both visual and auditory imagery.
In both cases, the basic image is of something in small quantity. These things are usually light and thin, and fall sparsely or in a scattered manner.
[Examples – Visual]
散歩をしていると、花びらがぱらぱらと落ちてきました。
While I was taking a walk, petals were lightly falling one by one.
こしょうをぱらぱらとふると、もっとおいしくなりますよ。
Sprinkling a little bit of pepper makes it even more delicious.
[Examples – Auditory]
雨がぱらぱらと降っている音がします。
I can hear the light sound of rain falling.
屋根に何かが落ちているような、ぱらぱらいう音が聞こえます。
I hear a soft, scattered sound, like something is falling on the roof.
The act of flipping through pages can also be expressed both visually and auditorily.
In the visual sense, it refers to the action of turning pages rather than the quantity—suggesting a quick glance or skimming rather than reading carefully.
In the auditory sense, it refers to the sound made while flipping through the pages.
[Examples – Visual]
雑誌をぱらぱらと見たけど、おもしろそうな記事はなかったよ。
I flipped through the magazine, but there weren’t any interesting articles.
頑張ってレポートを書いたけど、先生はぱらぱらと見るだけでした。
I worked hard on my report, but the teacher just skimmed through it.
[Examples – Auditory]
図書館はとても静かで、ぱらぱらと本をめくっている音が聞こえてきます。
The library is very quiet, and I can hear the sound of pages being flipped.
先生がテスト用紙の枚数をぱらぱらと音を立てながら数えています。
The teacher is counting the test papers with a light rustling sound.
In addition, when referring to people or objects, it describes a state where they are sparse or present in small numbers.
It can also express a sense of emptiness or quietness in a space.
[Examples]
会場にはまだぱらぱらとしか人が集まっていません。
Only a few people have gathered at the venue so far.
この雑貨屋には商品がぱらぱらと並んでいるだけで、棚の多くは空いています。
This general store has just a few items on display, and most of the shelves are empty.
ばらばら
[Meaning]
① Something that was once whole becomes separated into individual parts
② A lack of unity or cohesion
[Commonly Used With]
Pieces, paper, opinions, actions, clothing, etc.
[Examples]
子どもが完成させたパズルをばらばらにして片づけました。（①）
The child broke up the completed puzzle into pieces and put it away.
強い風で、資料がばらばらに飛んでいってしまいました。（①）
The strong wind scattered the documents everywhere.
チームの意見がばらばらで、会議がなかなか進みません。（②）
The team members all had different opinions, so the meeting didn’t make much progress.
みんなの服装がばらばらで、写真に統一感がありませんね。（②）
Everyone’s outfits were mismatched, so the photo lacks a sense of unity.
This word has several meanings, but they all share a common core image: a lack of unity (scattered or unorganized state).
It can be used to describe both visual and abstract situations.
① Breaking or falling apart into smaller pieces (visual)
It describes a state where something breaks or collapses, causing it to fall apart into separate pieces.
[Examples]
花瓶が落ちて、ばらばらに割れてしまいました。
The vase fell and shattered into pieces.
組み立てたブロックをばらばらにして、箱に戻しました。
I took apart the blocks and put them back into the box.
② Objects or people being scattered and not gathered in one place (visual)
It describes a state where things or people are not gathered in a specific location but are spread out in different directions.
[Examples]
本やかばんがあちこちに、ばらばらに置かれています。
Books and bags are scattered around in different places.
改札を出ると、人々は右と左にばらばらに分かれていきました。
After passing through the ticket gate, people split up and went off in different directions.
③ Lack of unity in opinions or actions (abstract)
It describes a state where thoughts or behaviors are uncoordinated and lack a sense of unity.
[Examples]
グループの意見がばらばらで、結論が出なかったよ。
The group’s opinions were all over the place, so we couldn’t reach a conclusion.
チームの動きがばらばらで、試合に負けてしまいました。
The team’s movements were uncoordinated, and we ended up losing the game.
④ Irregular timing or order (abstract)
It refers to a state where time or schedules are not coordinated and things happen at different, inconsistent timings.
[Examples]
休みは毎月ばらばらだから、来月の予定はまだわからないんだ。
My days off are different every month, so I still don’t know my schedule for next month.
会議の時間が毎回ばらばらで困るよね。
The meeting times are different every time, which makes things difficult.
Summary
| Meaning | Type | Example Sentences | |
|---|---|---|---|
| はらはら | ① The quiet, gentle falling of small, light, thin things (visual) ② A feeling of anxiety or nervousness, as if something bad might happen (emotional) | Mimetic word (describes visual and emotional states) | ① 桜の花びらがはらはらと舞っています。 Petals are fluttering down softly. ② サーカスの演技を見ていてはらはらしました。 I felt nervous watching the circus performance. |
| ぱらぱら | ① Small, light, thin things falling sparsely or the sound they make (visual or auditory) ② A small or scattered presence of people or things (visual) ③ The light motion or sound of flipping through paper (visual or auditory) | Onomatopoeia and mimetic word (describes visual and auditory states) | ① 雨がぱらぱらと降っています。 It’s raining lightly. ② 客はぱらぱらとしかいません。 There are only a few customers. ③ 雑誌をぱらぱらとめくりました。 I flipped through a magazine. 静かな図書館でぱらぱらという音が聞こえます。 I hear the soft sound of pages turning in the quiet library. |
| ばらばら | ① Something that was whole breaks or collapses into pieces (visual) ② People or things scattered and not gathered in one place (visual) ③ Opinions or actions that are not unified or coordinated (abstract) ④ Timing or order that is irregular and inconsistent (abstract) | Mimetic word (describes visual and abstract states) | ① 花瓶が落ちてばらばらに割れました。 The vase fell and shattered into pieces. ② かばんが床にばらばらに置かれています。 Bags are scattered across the floor. ③ チームの意見がばらばらで、結論が出ません。 The team’s opinions were divided and no conclusion was reached. ④ 予定が毎回ばらばらで困っています。 The schedule is different every time, which is inconvenient. |
Similer Articles
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