Chinese Manhua Action Sound Effects (SFX) Glossary
Chinese manhua, like its Japanese and Korean counterparts, heavily utilizes onomatopoeia and sound effects (often called '拟声词' nǐshēngcí) to convey dynamic action and intense emotions. Understanding these action SFX is crucial for readers to fully immerse themselves in fight scenes and for translators to accurately convey the impact and energy of the original work. Unlike Western comics where SFX are often direct English words, Chinese SFX are distinct expressions, often requiring creative localization to maintain their impact.
28 Terms
Chinese| Term | Romanization | Literal Meaning | Usage | Example | Translation Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 砰 | pēng | bang; pop; thud | A sudden, sharp impact sound, often for gunshots, explosions, or heavy blows. | A character fires a pistol, and '砰' appears as the bullet leaves the barrel, or a heavy object falls and hits the ground. | Commonly translated as 'BANG!', 'THUD!', 'CRACK!', or 'BLAM!'. The choice depends on the specific force and nature of the impact. |
| 轰 | hōng | rumble; boom; roar | A loud, rumbling, or booming sound, indicating explosions, large impacts, or a powerful engine. | A massive explosion engulfs a building, or a giant monster lets out a powerful roar, accompanied by '轰'. | Often translated as 'BOOM!', 'RUMBLE!', 'ROAR!', or 'CRASH!'. Used for sounds of significant scale and intensity. |
| 唰 | shuā | swish; rustle | A quick, swift movement, often associated with cloth, air, or a thin object cutting through the air. | A ninja quickly draws their sword, a cape dramatically sweeps, or a character dodges with a rapid movement. | Translated as 'SWISH!', 'WHOOSH!', 'FWOOSH!', or 'ZING!'. Indicates speed and agility. |
| 咔嚓 | kāchā | click; snap; crunch | A sharp, crisp sound of breaking, clicking, or snapping. | A bone breaks during a fight, a camera takes a photo, or someone steps on a dry leaf. | Rendered as 'CRACK!', 'SNAP!', 'CLICK!', or 'CRUNCH!'. Varies based on the material and action. |
| 啪 | pā | smack; clap; slap | A sharp, slapping or smacking sound, often for hits, claps, or small impacts. | A character is slapped in the face, a high-five occurs, or a small object falls on a hard surface. | Translated as 'SMACK!', 'SLAP!', 'THWACK!', or 'CLAP!'. Used for direct, somewhat less forceful impacts than '砰'. |
| 嘶 | sī | hiss; gasp | A sharp, hissing sound, often for steam, pain, or a snake. | A character winces in pain, releasing a '嘶' sound, or a blade cuts through the air with a faint hiss. | Translated as 'HISS!', 'SHIIIK!', 'GASPP!', or a sharp intake of breath sound. Can also indicate extreme cold or heat. |
| 咚 | dōng | thump; bang (deep) | A deep, heavy thumping or booming sound. | A heavy punch lands on a target, a large drum is struck, or a person falls heavily onto the ground. | Commonly translated as 'THUMP!', 'BUMP!', or 'DONG!'. Often for heavier, duller impacts than '砰'. |
| 当 | dāng | clank; clang | A metallic clanging sound, typically from weapons clashing. | Two swords clash together in a duel, or a metal object is dropped onto another metal surface. | Rendered as 'CLANG!', 'CLANK!', or 'K-CLANG!'. Specifically for metal-on-metal sounds. |
| 嗤 | chī | snicker; scoff; hiss (soft) | A soft hiss, snicker, or a sound of contempt. Can also denote something tearing or air escaping. | A villain sneers with a '嗤' sound, or a character's clothing tears slightly during a struggle. | Can be 'SNICKER!', 'HISSS!', 'TSSS!', or 'RIP!' depending on context. Often implies a subtle, cutting sound. |
| 呼 | hū | whoosh; exhale; sigh | A sound of air moving rapidly, often associated with heavy breathing, a quick movement, or a powerful gust. | A character exhales sharply after a strenuous effort, or a swift punch cuts through the air. | Commonly translated as 'WHOOSH!', 'HMPH!', or 'HAH!' (for exertion). For air movement or heavy breathing. |
| 噗 | pū | puff; plop; spurt | A soft, muffled impact, a liquid spurt, or a short, explosive puff. | A character spits blood ('噗' for the spurt), or a light object lands softly. | Translated as 'SPLAT!', 'PUFF!', 'THWIP!', or 'PLOP!'. Often for liquid, soft impacts, or a quick, muffled release. |
| 蹭 | cèng | rub; brush against | A sound of friction, something brushing or scraping lightly. | Two characters brush past each other, or clothing rubs against a rough surface. | Rendered as 'SCRAPE!', 'RUSTLE!', 'BRUSH!', or 'SHHH!' (for friction). Implies a light, grating sound. |
| 嗡 | wēng | buzz; hum | A continuous humming or buzzing sound, often from machinery, energy, or insects. | A powerful energy attack hums before release, or a group of flying insects approaches. | Translated as 'BUZZ!', 'HUMMM!', or 'VRMMM!'. Indicates a sustained, vibrating sound. |
| 呲 | cī | gnash; hiss; tear (sound) | A sharp, tearing sound or a harsh, grinding noise. | Fabric rips apart under strain, or gears grind painfully. | Often 'RIP!', 'TEAR!', 'GRIND!', or 'SCRAPE!'. For abrasive or tearing sounds. |
| 噼里啪啦 | pīlipālā | crackling; pattering | A rapid succession of crackling or popping sounds, like firecrackers, rain, or small impacts. | Firecrackers explode, heavy rain falls, or multiple small hits land quickly. | Translated as 'CRACKLE!', 'POP-POP!', 'PATTER!', or 'RAT-A-TAT!'. For multiple quick, light sounds. |
| 铮 | zhēng | clank; ring (metallic) | A clear, resonant metallic sound, often when a weapon is drawn or strikes. | A sword is swiftly drawn from its sheath, making a sharp, ringing sound, or an arrow hits a metal shield. | Rendered as 'SHING!', 'CLINK!', or 'CHING!'. Specifically for sharp, clear metallic sounds, often associated with blades. |
| 呜 | wū | whoosh; wail; howl | A prolonged whooshing, wailing, or howling sound, often for wind, sirens, or sad cries. | The wind howls violently, or a distant siren wails, indicating danger. | Translated as 'WHOOSH!', 'HOWL!', 'WAIL!', or 'OOOHHH!'. For sustained, airy or mournful sounds. |
| 叮 | dīng | ding; tinkle | A light, clear metallic sound, like a small bell or light impact. | A small coin drops, a tiny bell tinkles, or a light tap on metal occurs. | Translated as 'DING!', 'CHIME!', or 'CLINK!'. For lighter, more delicate metallic sounds than '当' or '铮'. |
| 蹭 | céng | rub; graze | A sound of light friction or brushing, implying something barely makes contact. | An attack narrowly misses, only grazing a character's arm, or clothes rub against each other. | Translated as 'SCRAPE!', 'GRAZE!', or 'BRUSH!'. Indicates a minimal, frictional contact. |
| 咣 | guāng | clang; thud (heavy) | A heavy, reverberating clang or thud, often from large metal objects or strong impacts. | A large metal door slams shut, or a heavy object hits the ground with a resounding impact. | Rendered as 'CLANG!', 'THUMP!', 'GONG!', or 'BOING!'. Similar to '当' but often implying a larger, heavier object or more resonance. |
| 嚓 | cā | scrape; rub; rustle | A crisp, rubbing or scraping sound, often lighter than '呲'. | A shoe scrapes against the floor, or a piece of paper is crumpled quickly. | Translated as 'SCRAPE!', 'RUSTLE!', or 'SHHH!'. For crisp, friction-based sounds. |
| 咕嘟 | gūdū | gurgle; gulp | The sound of swallowing or a liquid gurgling. | A character takes a large gulp of water, or a bubbling sound comes from a potion. | Translated as 'GLUG!', 'GULP!', or 'GURGLE!'. While not strictly action, it can appear after intense moments or for consuming energy drinks. |
| 嘶啦 | sīlā | tear; rip | A vivid sound of something tearing or ripping apart, especially fabric. | A character's clothes are ripped during a struggle, or a scroll is violently torn. | Commonly translated as 'RIP!', 'TEAR!', or 'RIIIPPP!'. For the sound of material breaking apart. |
| 嗖 | sōu | whoosh; whistle | A quick, sharp whooshing or whistling sound, often for projectiles. | An arrow flies past with a '嗖' sound, or a character moves with incredible speed. | Translated as 'WHOOSH!', 'SWISH!', 'ZING!', or 'WHIZZ!'. Indicates fast, often linear, movement. |
| 嘣 | bēng | snap; pop; twang | A sudden, sharp sound of something breaking under tension or a string snapping. | A bowstring is released, a rubber band snaps, or a tense rope breaks. | Rendered as 'TWANG!', 'SNAP!', 'BOING!', or 'POP!'. For sounds involving sudden release of tension. |
| 铿 | kēng | clink; clang (resounding) | A strong, clear, ringing metallic sound, often for weapons or armor. | A heavy sword strikes a shield, producing a resonant '铿' sound, or armor pieces clash together. | Translated as 'CLANG!', 'CHINK!', 'RING!', or 'K-CHING!'. Similar to '铮' but often implying a heavier impact or more reverberation. |
| 呼哧 | hūchī | pant; puff | The sound of heavy breathing or panting due to exertion. | After a long chase or intense battle, a character is shown out of breath, accompanied by '呼哧'. | Translated as 'PANT!', 'HUFF!', 'PUFF!', or 'HAAH! HAAH!'. Indicates physical exhaustion. |
| 咔吧 | kābā | snap; crunch | A distinct snapping or crunching sound, often related to breaking or joint movement. | A character cracks their knuckles, or a small bone audibly breaks. | Rendered as 'CRACK!', 'SNAP!', or 'POP!'. Similar to '咔嚓' but can imply a slightly softer, more specific 'joint' sound. |
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