Japanese onomatopoeias for eating and drinking

Japanese article is here; https://japaneselanguagesalonbymikapanda.com/japanese-onomatopoeia-of-a-meal-2814

Hello, this is MIKA! Long time no see（＊＾▽＾＊）

This time, I’ll introduce you some Japanese onomatopoeias for eating and drinking!

Onomatopoeias for eating

「ずるずる(Zuru-zuru)」「ずぞぞ(Zuzozo)」

Some kinds of noodles like a ramen, especially for Soba, there is a custom to slurp noodles in Japan.

Recently, the opinions that “the sound of slurping is very noisy” by some foreigners, however, it’s one of the culture to feel the taste more, so please excuse them.

Example：

「ずるずると蕎麦(soba)を啜(susu)る。」I slurp a soba with the sound “Zuru-zuru”.

「ラーメンをずぞぞと食(ta)べる。」I take a ramen with the sound “Zuzozo”.

「つるつる(tsuru-tsuru)」「ちゅるちゅる(churu-churu)」

We use 「ずるずる」「ずぞぞ」when we slurp noodles speedy, but when we slurp slowly, the sound expresses as “tsuru-tsuru” or “tsuru-tsuru”.

In addition, “tsuru-tsuru” is used as a baby tolk; the meaning is all of noodles.

Example：

「そうめんをつるつる(ちゅるちゅる)と食べる。」I take a somen slowly with the sound “tsuru-tsuru(churu-churu).

「もぐもぐ(mogu-mogu)」

“Mogu-mogu” expresses the situation that a person chew something slowly.

Example：

「お米(こめ)をもぐもぐと食べる。」I chew some rices slowly with the sound “Mogu-mogu”.

「がつがつ(gatsu-gatsu)」「ばくばく(Baku-baku)」

“Gatsu-gatsu” and “Baku-baku” is an onomatopoeia for when someone is eating speedy.

Example：

「お昼(hiru)ごはんをがつがつと(ばくばくと)食べる。」I take a lunch speedy with the sound “Gatsu-gatsu(Baku-baku)”.

「あーん(Aa-n)」

“Aa-n” is the onomatopoeia when someone open the mouth widely.

This is also used in a dentist when a doctor is treating.

Example：「口(kuchi)をあーんと開(a)ける。」 I open my mouth widely with the sound of “Aa-n”.

「ぱくっ(Paku)」「ぱくん(Pakun)」

“Paku” and “Pakun” are the onomatopoeias when someone close the mouth after taking something. We can use it also in the case of taking a spoon by the mouth.

Example：

「ぱくっと口(kuchi)を閉(to)じる。」I close my mouth with the sound “Paku”.

「スプーンをぱくっと咥(kuwa)える。」I hold a spoon in my mouth with the sound of “Paku”.

「ごっくん(gokkun)」「ごくん(gokun)」「ごっくり(gokkuri)」「ごくり(gokuri)」

「ごっくん(gokkun)」「ごくん(gokun)」「ごっくり(gokkuri)」「ごくり(gokuri)」are the onomatopoeias to swallow something to eat, drink or a medicine.

Example：

「薬(kusuri)をごっくん(ごくん、ごくり)と飲み込んだ。」I swallowed a medicine with the sound “Gokkkun(Gokun,Gokuri)”.

「ごくごく(goku-goku)」

We use the onomatopoeia “Goku-goku” when we are drinking something.

「ごっくん(gokkun)」「ごくん(gokun)」「ごっくり(gokkuri)」「ごくり(gokuri)」are the onomatopoeia momently, so please do not mistake.

Example：

「暑(atsu)いのでごくごくと水(mizu)をたくさん飲(no)む。」I take a lot of water because it’s hot.

「ぐびぐび(gubi-gubi)」

By the way, when we drink a beverage or Sake speedy, we use the onomatopoeia “Gubi-gubi”.

Example：「ビールをぐびぐびと飲む。」I take a beer speedy with the sound of “Gubi-gubi”.

「しゃくしゃく(shaku-shaku)」「しゃりしゃり(shari-shari)」

Like an apple, we use the onomatopoeia “Shaku-shaku” to munch something hard and watery.

Example：「リンゴをしゃくしゃく(しゃりしゃり)と食(ta)べる。」I munch an apple with the sound of “Shaku-shaku(Shari-shari)”.

Additionally, a salad which is fresh and has a chewiness is called “Shaki-shaki salad”.

「ばりばり(bari-bari)」「がりがり(gari-gari)」

Something like a rice cookie and a cookie, we use “Gari-gari” or “Bari-bari” to crunch them.

Example：「お煎餅(senbei)をばりばりと食(ta)べる。」I take a rice cookie with the sound of “Bari-bari”.

「ガリッ(gari)」「バリッ(bari)」

When we start to crunch something like a rice cookie, a cookie or an ice candy, we use “Gari” or “Bari”.

Example：「ガリッとアイスキャンディーを咥(kuwa)える。」I hold an ice candy with the sound of “Gari”.

「ぽりぽり(pori-pori)」

Something like a nut, when we take a small and hard one, we use “Pori-pori”.

Example：「ぽりぽりとミックスナッツを食(ta)べる。」I take mixed nuts with the sound of “pori-pori”.

In addition, we also use it when we scratch our body.

Example：「頭(atama)をぽりぽりと掻(ka)く。」I scratch my face with the sound of “pori-pori”.

「くちゃくちゃ(kucha-kucha)」

Do you close your mouth when you’re eating anything?

If you open your mouth when you’re eating, it makes uncomfortable sound “Kucha-kucha”, so please be careful.

And then, we can use it when we chew gum.

Example：「ガムをくちゃくちゃと噛(ka)む。」I chew gum with the sound of “Kucha-kucha”.

By the way, there is the thinking that it’s rude to talk with someone chewing gum in Japan, so please pay attantion.

「ぺろぺろ(pero-pero)」

 

 

“Pero-pero” means “to lick” something like a candy. It’s also used when an animal grooms itself.

Example：「ぺろぺろと飴(ame)を舐(na)める。」I lick a candy with the sound of “pero-pero”.

Example：「猫(neko)がぺろぺろと毛づくろいをしている。」A cat is grooming itself with the sound of “Pero-pero”.

「ふーふー(fu-fu)」「はふはふ(hafu-hafu)」

 

When you take something hot, don’t you breathe on it to let it cool down?

The reason why I asked that question is that we use the onomatopoeia “fu-fu” to let it cool down!

And, when we’re taking something hot in our mouth, we use the onomatopoeia “hafu-hafu”.

Example：

「ふーふーと息(iki)を吹(fu)きかけてからラーメンを食(ta)べる。」I breathe on a ramen to let it cool down with the sound of “fu-fu” before eating.

「はふはふとお鍋(nabe)を食(ta)べる。」I take a nabe with the sound of “hafu-hafu” because it’s very hot.

Final comment

How was it?

There are so many kinds of onomatopoeia just to express “to eat” or “to drink”.

Please remember these onomatopoeias to express like 「あーんとお寿司(sushi)を食(ta)べる」or 「ずるずると蕎麦(soba)を食(ta)べる」!

Finally, we use both “Hiragana” and “Katakana” for onomatopoeias, “Hiragana” is used for a little sound and “Katakana” is used for a large sound.

That’s all, thank you for reading!

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