Common Negative Emotion Onomatopoeia You Hear in Anime
Table of Contents
1. Negative Emotion Onomatopoeia
2. What is an onomatopoeia?
3. Onomatopoeia for Shock and Surprise
4. Onomatopoeia Expressing Feeling Down
5. Summary
6. Similer Articles
7. Comment
Q: I often hear onomatopoeia when watching anime, but I don’t really understand the differences between them.
A: Japanese has a wide variety of onomatopoeic expressions that can describe not only sounds and movements but also emotions.
In anime and manga especially, onomatopoeia is frequently used to convey characters’ feelings.
In this article, we focus on onomatopoeia that express negative emotions such as shock, surprise, and feeling down.
By learning how to distinguish and use them, you can gain a deeper understanding of the emotions of the characters.
What is an onomatopoeia?
Onomatopoeia is one of the unique features of the Japanese language. It plays a role in conveying sounds, conditions, and emotions in a visual and auditory way.
In Japanese, onomatopoeia can delicately express not only positive feelings like happiness and joy, but also negative emotions such as shock, anxiety, and sadness.
In manga and anime, onomatopoeia is frequently used to instantly convey a character’s emotions. It is also commonly used in daily conversation as a convenient way to express subtle emotional nuances.
Onomatopoeia for Shock and Surprise
[ガーン]
Expresses the feeling of being shocked by something sudden. It conveys a mental impact caused by an unexpected situation.
[Examples]
テスト0点！？ガーン！
I got a zero on the test!? I’m completely shocked.
ガーン…！せっかく朝早く来て並んだのに、ケーキが完売だなんて…。
I came early in the morning and waited in line, but the cakes were already sold out…
ガーン！十分に充電したと思ったのに、もう電池が切れてる…。
I thought I had fully charged it, but the battery is already dead—what a shock.
[ガクッ/がくっ]
Describes the feeling of being let down, as if all strength has drained from your heart or body.
It expresses a sense of disappointment caused by shock.
* The impact is slightly less intense than “ガーン.”
[Common Usage]
Often used together with expressions like “〜きた” or “〜なった”.
[Examples]
ガクッ…今回は少し点数が取れると思ったのに、また0点か…。
I thought I’d score at least a little higher this time… but I got a zero again. What a letdown.
勉強したところが全然出なくて、がくっときちゃったよ。
None of the parts I studied were on the test—I felt totally deflated.
明日のパーティーがキャンセルになったと聞いて、ガクッとなりました。
When I heard tomorrow’s party was canceled, I was really disappointed.
[ギョッ]
Describes a moment of surprise in response to something sudden or unexpected.
It expresses a brief, instant reaction of being startled.
[Common Usage]
Commonly used together with the expression “〜とする.”
[Examples]
道に急に子どもが飛び出してきて、ギョッとしました。
A child suddenly darted into the street, and it startled me.
最近は詐欺や強盗など、ギョッとするニュースが多いですね。
These days, there are so many shocking news stories—scams and robberies and such.
子どもの大人びた発言に、ギョッとさせられました。
I was taken aback by how mature that child’s comment was.
[きょとん]
Describes a state of being unable to react to a sudden event due to not understanding it right away.
It expresses a condition where someone is frozen in place, wide-eyed and silent.
[Common Usage]
Often used together with the expression “〜とする.”
[Examples]
急に先生に「明日までに3200字のレポートを提出して」と言われて、みんなきょとんとしていました。
The teacher suddenly told us, “Submit a 3,200-character report by tomorrow,” and everyone just stared in blank confusion.
急に外国人に英語で話しかけられて、思わずきょとんとしてしまいました。
A foreigner suddenly started talking to me in English, and I froze, totally bewildered.
子どもたちは先生の説明にきょとんとした表情を見せています。
The children showed puzzled expressions in response to the teacher’s explanation.
Onomatopoeia Expressing Feeling Down
[クヨクヨ/くよくよ]
Describes a state of continuously worrying or feeling regret over something that is already over and cannot be changed.
[Common Usage]
Often used in the form “〜する.”
[Frequently Used Adverbs]
Expressions like “いつまでも” (“forever”) and “ずっと” (“continuously”) are often used together to emphasize the sense of dwelling on something for a long time.
[Examples]
昨日の失敗をいつまでもクヨクヨしているうちに、日が暮れてしまいました。
I kept fretting over yesterday’s mistake, and before I knew it, the day was over.
ミスは誰にでもあるよ。そんなにクヨクヨしないで。
Everyone makes mistakes. Don’t worry about it so much.
A「先生にまた怒られたよ…。」
B「そんなことでずっとくよくよしてちゃだめだよ。」
A: “I got scolded by the teacher again…”
B: “You can’t keep dwelling on something like that forever.”
[メソメソ/めそめそ]
① Crying in a hushed voice
② Being unable to recover from sadness and continuing to cry for a long time
[Common Usage]
Often used in forms like “メソメソ泣く” or “メソメソする”
[Frequently Used Adverbs]
Words like “いつまでも” (“forever”), “ずっと” (“all the time”), and “しばらく” (“for a while”) are commonly used to emphasize prolonged emotional states.
[Examples]
弟は父に怒られて、ずっとメソメソ泣いています。
My little brother has been sobbing ever since our dad scolded him.
コーチに注意されて、太郎くんはめそめそしています。
After being scolded by the coach, Tarō has been quietly crying.
試合に負けてしばらくめそめそしていたけど、少し元気が出てきたよ。
I was down and teary for a while after losing the match, but I’m starting to feel a bit better now.
妹は恋人にふられてから、メソメソしていて辛そうです。
My younger sister has been weepy ever since her boyfriend broke up with her—she looks heartbroken.
[ウジウジ/うじうじ]
① Hesitating and being indecisive, unable to make a decision
② Worrying endlessly about something in the past
[Common Usage]
Used in the form “ウジウジする”
[Frequently Used Adverbs]
Often used with adverbs like “いつまでも” (“forever”) and “ずっと” (“continuously”) to emphasize prolonged hesitation or worry.
[Examples]
弟は自分が悪いとわかっているのに、友達に謝れなくてうじうじしています。
My little brother knows he was in the wrong, but he’s been hesitating and can’t bring himself to apologize to his friend.
小さなことでずっとウジウジ悩んでしまって、他のことが手につきません。
He’s been brooding over something trivial for so long that he can’t focus on anything else.
終わったことをいつまでもウジウジしないで、次に進んだほうがいいよ。
Don’t dwell on something that’s already over—it’s better to move on.
失敗をうじうじ気にしてても、何も変わらないよ。
Worrying endlessly about your mistake won’t change anything.
[がっかり]
Expresses the feeling of disappointment and discouragement when expectations are not met.
[Common Usage]
Often used in the verb form “がっかりする”.
[Examples]
早起きして来たのに、人気の商品が売り切れていてがっかりしました。
I got up early to come here, but the popular item was sold out—I was so disappointed.
あんなに勉強したのに、点数が悪くてがっかりだよ。
I studied so hard, but my test score was bad. What a letdown.
気持ちを伝えれば理解してもらえると思ったのに、伝わらなくてがっかりしました。
I thought I could get my feelings across if I just said them, but they didn’t come through, and I felt really disappointed.
Summary
| Emotion | Onomatopoeia | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Shock / Surprise | ガーン | ・A strong emotional shock from something that happened suddenly ・A reaction to an unexpected event ・A state of mental impact or distress |
| ガクッ | ・The feeling of losing energy or strength after a disappointment ・A reaction of discouragement due to an unexpected negative result (less intense than ガーン) | |
| ぎょっ | A momentary reaction of surprise or shock at something sudden or unexpected | |
| きょとん | ・Being unable to understand or react to a sudden situation ・A blank, uncomprehending stare in silence due to confusion | |
| Feeling down / Discouragement | クヨクヨ | Constantly worrying or regretting something that is already over and cannot be changed |
| メソメソ | ① A mimetic word expressing crying behavior ② Crying quietly and continuously, unable to recover from sadness | |
| ウジウジ | ① Being indecisive and unable to take action ② Brooding over past events and being mentally stuck | |
| がっかり | Disappointment caused by unmet expectations |
Similer Articles
- Must-Know for Foreigners Working in Japan: Do You Really Need a Hanko (Personal Seal)?
- Differences in Parts of Speech between Japanese and English②
- Differences in Parts of Speech between Japanese and English①
- Learning the Forms of Japanese from Classical Literature
- Idioms Using “頭” ② – Useful in Everyday Conversations
