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apothecaryscript · 14 days ago

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Japanese "Onomatopoeia" 『オノマトペ/Onomatope)』

There are two types in Japanese Onomatopoeia. One is 「擬音語(ぎおんご/Gi-on-go)」 which is “written sound” as we hear, and the other is 「擬態語(ぎたいご/Gi-tai-go)」 which is “written sound of status” as we look or feel.

1) 「擬音語(ぎおんご/Gi-on-go)」: “sound” onomatopoeias

As examples, let’s compare onomatopoeias for some animal sounds in Japanese and English.

犬（いぬ/Inu）「ワンワン(Wan-wan)」 Dog: “Woof woof” “Bow-wow”

猫（ねこ/Neko）「ニャー(Nyaa)」 Cat: “Meow”

牛（うし/Ushi）「モー(Moo)」 Cow: “Moo”

豚（ぶた/Buta）「ブーブー(Buu-buu)」 Pig: “Oink oink”

にわとり（Niwatori）「コケコッコー(Kokekokkoo)」Rooster: “Cock-a-doodle-doo”

2) 「擬態語(ぎたいご/Gi-tai-go)」 “status” onomatopoeias

This type is onomatopoeias of “status”. An easy-to-understand example is “わくわく(Waku-waku)” which became famous through “SPY x FAMILY.” “Waku-waku” means being excited or thrilled about something you look forward to. Although the status does not have that sound, we can imagine Anya’s facial expression and emotions just by seeing the word.

By using onomatopoeias, we can describe the situation or the person’s feelings in detail with simple and short words. For example, if you want to say “It’s raining,” here are some onomatopoeias, from the lightest to the heaviest;

①「雨(あめ/Ame)がポツリポツリ(Potsuri-potsuri)と降(ふ/Fu)っている」…Raindrops are falling at intervals.

②「雨がポツポツ(Potsu-potsu)降っている」…Just a few raindrops are falling.

③「雨がパラパラ(Para-para)降っている」…Raindrops are falling continuously

④「雨がしとしと(Shito-shito)降っている」…It’s quiet, but certainly raining continuously.

⑤「雨がザーザー(Zaa-zaa)降っている」…It’s raining hard and making a fair amount of noise.

⑥「雨がドシャドシャ(Dosha-dosha)降っている」…It’s raining dangerously hard.

Onomatopoeias have existed since before manga and anime existed, but manga has made us more familiar with them, and they have enabled us to share delicate expressions with visual images using just a few words. So I think you’ll be familiar with them naturally while watching anime or manga, without extra effort to memorize them.

Hereunder I’ll pick up some lines with onomatopoeias from Season 1 episodes;

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From Episode 1 : Maomao

猫猫「たかがウワサ話に何を真剣になってるんだ。こんなのは、ただの憶測にすぎない。すぎないが…ちいとばかし、行ってみるか。そそそそそ…」

Maomao “Takaga uwasa-banashini nanio shinkenni natterunda. Konnanowa tadano okusokuni suginai. Suginaiga…chiito-bakashi itte-miruka. Sososososo…”

Maomao “Why am I taking a rumor so seriously? It’s all just conjecture. But still… I guess I can take a quick peek.”

Episode 13 : Serving in the Outer Court

壬氏「勉強の方はやっているのか？」

Jinshi “Benkyono-howa yatte iru-noka?”

Jinshi “Are you studying?”

猫猫「そそそそそ…」

Maomao “Sososososo…”

Maomao “Sneak, sneak.”

壬氏「おい！」

Jinshi “Oi!”

Jinshi “Hey!”

猫猫「そそそそそ…」

Maomao “Sososososo…”

Maomao “Sneak, sneak!”

「そそそそそ…」: sneak, sneak. (This onomatopoeia might be newly created in this anime.)

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From Episode 4 : The Threat

猫猫「ぴょーん、ぴょん。仕方��い。もう一度、作り直すか」

Maomao “Pyōn, pyon. Shikata nai. Mo ichido, tsukuri-naosuka.”

Maomao “Boing boing. Oh, well. Guess I have to cook it again.”

「ぴょん(Pyon)」： Jumping, 「ぴょーん(Pyoon)」: Jumping (higher or longer)

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From Episode 5 : Covert Operations

やぶ医者「お待たせしました、壬氏さ…しゅん」

Yabu Isha “Omatase shimashita, Jinshi-sa……Shun.”

Quack Doctor “Thank you for waiting, Master Jinshi- Oh.”

「しゅん(Shun)」: Get disappointed and depressed a little

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Episode 6 : The Garden Party

貴園「実際、若いの。だって、主上様を産んだのが…こしょこしょこしょ」

Guien “Jissai, wakaino. Datte, shujo-samao unda-noga… Kosho-kosho-kosho.”

Guiyuan “She is young. She gave birth to the emperor when she was…”!”

「こしょこしょ（Kosho-kosho）(with more comical nuance)」「こそこそ(Koso-koso)」： Talking in secret

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From Episode 6 : The Garden Party

桜花「ムカ～ッ！」

Infa “Mukaaa!”

Yinghua “Grr!”

桜花「キ～ッ！猫猫に謝りなさいよ！！」

Infa “Kiii! Maomaoni ayamari-nasaiyo!!”

Yinghua “Apologize to Maomao!”

「ムカッ(Muka)」「ムカーッ(Mukaa)」「キーッ(Kiii)」： Getting angry

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From Episode 6 : The Garden Party

猫猫（へえ…こうして見ると、なかなか…。思ったより、お偉いさんなのか。やはり、武官に交ざっても違和感がない。

へえ、さっきの武官も、末席だが、年齢を考えると出世頭か？あのキラキラした宦官はいないけど、まあ、どうでもいい。おっ、それより毒見だ）

Maomao (Hee… Koshite miruto, naka-naka… Omotta-yori, oerai-san nanoka. Yahari, bukanni mazattemo iwakanga nai. Hee, sakkino bukanmo, masseki-daga, nenreio kangaeruto shusse-gashiraka? Ano kira-kira shita kanganwa inai-kedo, maa do demo ii. O, soreyori, dokumi-da.)

Maomao (He looks pretty good there. I guess he’s higher up than I thought. He doesn’t seem out of place among the military officers. Oh look, that officer from earlier. He’s at the very edge, but given his age, I guess that’s still impressive? Our glittering eunuch isn’t there, but who cares? More importantly, food tasting.)

猫猫（…新しいかんざし。宦官もかんざしをもらうのか。そういえば、襟も少し乱れてる。いつものキラキラさもない。うっ、宴席で姿を見ないと思ったら、そういうことか。でも、今なら年相応の青年に…というか、だいぶ幼く見える。こちらのほうが、まだいいな）

Maomao (…Atarashii kanzashi. Kanganmo kanzashio morau-noka. So-ieba, erimo sukoshi midareteru. Itsumono kira-kirasamo nai. U, ensekide sugatao minaito omottara, so-iu Kotoka. Demo, imanara toshi-so’o-no seinenni… to iuka daibu osanaku mieru. Kochirano-hoga mada iina.)

Maomao (A new hairpin? So the eunuchs gets hairpins, too? His collar is a little disheveled, too. Plus his normal glitter is gone. Is that why he wasn’t at the party? But right now, he’s acting his age more than usual… Or rather, he looks quite a bit younger. I prefer him like this, somewhat.”

猫猫（しおらしい。無茶なことを言っているのは承知の上か。いつも通り、無駄にキラキラしてればいいのに。ここ最近の壬氏様は、以前よりもずっと子供のように見えて仕方ない）

Maomao (Shiorashii. Muchana koto’o itte-irunowa shochino ueka. Itsumo-doori, mudani kira-kira shitereba iinoni. Koko saikinno Jinshi-samawa, izen-yorimo zutto kodomono-yoni miete shikata-nai.)

Maomao (How modest. He realizes he’s asking for the impossible. He should just be excessively shiny like his usual self. For a while now, Master Jinshi has seemed much more childish than before.)

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From Episode 7 : Homecoming

猫猫「チョキチョキチョキ…カチャカチャカチャ」

Maomao “Choki choki choki… Kacha kacha kacha.”

Maomao “Clip clip clip. Clunk clunk clunk.”

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From Episode 7 : Homecoming

猫猫「シャーッ！」

Maomao “Shaaaaa!”

Episode 14 : The New Pure Consort

猫猫（ハッ！大事な教材を見せるわけにはいかない！）「シャーッ！」

Maomao (Ha! Daijina kyozai’o miseru-wake-niwa ikanai!) “Shaaaaa!”

Maomao （I can’t let him see my precious teaching material.）

シャー！(Shaaa!) ： Hissing sound of cats or snakes. It can also show water flowing or something else, depending on the situation.

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Episode 12 : The Eunuch and the Courtesan

壬氏「どよどよ…いじいじ…じめじめ…」

Jinshi “Doyo-doyo… Iji-iji… Jime-jime…”

Jinshi “Wah, wah, boo-hoo, sob, sob…”

「どよどよ…」: Negative aura stagnates around there.

「いじいじ…」: sulking

「じめじめ…」: humid, muggy, gloomy mood

These words express how depressed Jinshi is, and he isn’t actually crying. I guess they’re translated into “Wah, wah, boo-hoo, sob, sob…” since there was no suitable short word.

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From Episode 13 : Serving in the Outer Court

白鈴「フフッ、つやつやのぷるぷるに仕上げておいたから」

Pairin “Fufu. Tsuya-tsuyano puru-puruni shiagete oita-kara.”

Pairin “We got her all dolled up for you.”

「つやつや」: glossy, shiny, dewy

「ぷるぷる」： jiggly, texture like a jelly

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From Episode 13 : Serving in the Outer Court

猫猫（この間やけど薬の実験したから、ぐちょぐちょなんだよな～。しみる～！）

Maomao (Kono aida yakedo-gusurino jikken shita-kara, gucho-gucho nan-dayonaaa. Shimiruuu!)

Maomao (I just tried out some burn medicine the other day, so it’s really messed up right now. Stings!)