Japanese Manga Weather Sound Effects (SFX) Glossary
Understanding Japanese weather sound effects, or 擬音語 (giongo) and 擬態語 (gitaigo), is crucial for fully appreciating the atmospheric depth of manga. These onomatopoeic expressions don't just describe sounds; they often convey the intensity, texture, and emotional impact of natural phenomena like rain, wind, and thunder. For readers, recognizing these nuances enhances immersion, while for translators, accurately conveying their meaning is vital to preserve the creator's intended mood and setting. This glossary provides a comprehensive guide to common weather SFX, helping you decipher the subtle signals in your favorite manga.
30 Terms
Japanese| Term | Romanization | Literal Meaning | Usage | Example | Translation Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ザーザー | zaa zaa | sound of heavy rain/water pouring | Indicates heavy, continuous rainfall or water intensely gushing. | A panel showing a character looking out a window at a torrential downpour, with rain streaking across the glass. | Commonly translated as 'SPLASH', 'POUR', 'POURING RAIN', 'HEAVY RAIN', or simply 'RAIN'. Sometimes rendered as 'SPOOSH' for a more specific gushing sound. |
| パラパラ | para para | light sprinkling/scattered sound | Represents light rain, scattered drops, or small objects falling sparsely. | A character feeling the first few drops of a light drizzle before a heavier rain begins. | Often translated as 'DRIP', 'PITTER PATTER', 'SPRINKLE', 'LIGHT RAIN', or 'TAP TAP'. |
| しとしと | shito shito | quietly and steadily (rain) | Describes a gentle, continuous, quiet rain, often evoking a melancholic or calm mood. | A quiet scene where rain falls softly and steadily outside, creating a serene or slightly sad atmosphere. | Usually translated as 'SOFTLY FALLING RAIN', 'GENTLE RAIN', 'QUIET RAIN', or 'STEADY DRIP'. |
| ゴロゴロ | goro goro | rolling/rumbling sound | Used for distant thunder rumbling, or sometimes for something large rolling. | Dark clouds gathering in the sky, with a faint 'Goro Goro' indicating an approaching thunderstorm. | Translates to 'RUMBLE', 'RUMBLING', 'GRUMBLE', or 'THUNDER RUMBLE'. |
| ドカン | dokan | boom/bang | A sudden, loud explosion or impact, often used for a close lightning strike or a sudden, violent thunderclap. | A character flinches as a bright flash of lightning is immediately followed by a deafening 'Dokan' of thunder. | Rendered as 'BOOM', 'CRACK', 'BLAM', 'THWACK', or 'KABOOM'. |
| ビュー | byuu | whoosh/gust | A sudden, strong gust of wind or something moving quickly through the air. | A strong gust of wind suddenly whips past a character, rustling their clothes and hair. | Commonly translated as 'WOOSH', 'GUST', 'WHIRL', 'SWISH', or 'WHOOSHING WIND'. |
| ヒュー | hyuu | whistle/hollow sound (wind) | A whistling sound of wind, often through a narrow opening or in a cold, desolate place. | Wind whistling eerily through cracks in a dilapidated building or across a barren landscape. | Translates to 'WHISTLE', 'WHISPER', 'HOWL', or 'GUST' (for a softer, whistling gust). |
| そよそよ | soyo soyo | gently rustling/lightly blowing | Describes a gentle breeze, often in pleasant weather, rustling leaves or hair softly. | A warm, sunny day with a light breeze gently rustling the leaves on trees. | Translated as 'GENTLE BREEZE', 'RUSTLE', 'WHISPERS', or 'SOFT BREEZE'. |
| ザザザー | zaza zaa | rushing water/heavy rain | Similar to ザーザー but often implying a more continuous, rushing sound, like heavy rain or a waterfall. | A powerful waterfall roaring down a cliff, or heavy rain continuously beating against a roof. | Often 'RUSH', 'ROAR', 'CASCADING', 'POURING', or 'DELUGE'. |
| ポツポツ | potsu potsu | drip drop/sporadic drops | Indicates sporadic, individual drops of rain, often at the very beginning or end of a shower. | A few isolated raindrops hitting the ground, signaling the start of rain. | Translates to 'DRIP', 'PLINK', 'DROP', or 'PITTER-PATTER' (for very light, individual drops). |
| しゅるしゅる | shuru shuru | sliding/rustling (thin things) | Light, rustling sound, can be used for thin objects like leaves or cloth rustling in the wind. | A flag or banner fluttering lightly in the wind, making a soft rustling sound. | Often 'RUSTLE', 'FLUTTER', 'SWISH', or 'WHISPER'. |
| ゴォォォ | gooo | roaring/rumbling sound | A deep, continuous roar or rumble, often associated with strong winds, storms, or distant powerful natural phenomena. | A hurricane-force wind tearing through a town, making a deafening, continuous roar. | Translated as 'ROAR', 'RUMBLE', 'HOWL', 'BLUSTER', or 'GALE'. |
| ピカッ | pika't | flash/sparkle | A sudden, bright flash of light, specifically used for a lightning flash. | The sky suddenly lights up with a blinding 'Pika't' of lightning during a storm. | Commonly 'FLASH', 'BRIGHT FLASH', 'LIGHTNING', or 'ZAP'. |
| ドォーン | dooon | boom/thud (large) | A very heavy, resounding boom, often for a massive thunderclap or a distant explosion. | A powerful thunderclap that shakes the ground after a close lightning strike. | Translated as 'BOOM', 'CRACK', 'THUNDER', 'REVERBERATE', or 'RUMBLE'. |
| ザーッ | zaa't | sudden gush/rush | A quick, sudden burst or rush of rain or water, often a brief shower. | A sudden, heavy downpour that starts and stops relatively quickly. | Often 'SPLASH', 'POUR', 'GUSH', 'RUSH', or 'SUDDEN RAIN'. |
| コロコロ | koro koro | rolling/tumbling sound | Small, light objects rolling or tumbling, such as hailstones or pebbles in a light wind. | Small hailstones bouncing off a window pane during a light hail shower. | Translated as 'ROLL', 'CLATTER', 'TUMBLE', 'PITTER-PATTER' (for hail), or 'RATTLE'. |
| ひゅうひゅう | hyuu hyuu | whistling/moaning (wind) | A continuous, often eerie or cold whistling/howling sound of wind. | Wind howling through a desolate mountain pass or a lonely field on a cold night. | Commonly 'WHISTLE', 'HOWL', 'MOAN', 'BLOW', or 'CHILL WIND'. |
| ぱらり | parari | fluttering/lightly falling | A single, light item falling, or a few scattered drops/petals in the wind. | A single raindrop hitting a character's cheek, or a cherry blossom petal falling in the breeze. | Translated as 'FLUTTER', 'DROP', 'DRIFT', or 'GENTLE FALL'. |
| どんより | donyori | dull/gloomy/heavy (atmosphere) | Describes a dull, overcast, heavy atmosphere, often before or during rain, implying gloominess. | A gray, oppressive sky on a day where heavy rain is imminent, making everyone feel sluggish. | Often 'GLOOMY', 'OVERCAST', 'HEAVY SKY', 'DULL', or 'OPPRESSIVE'. |
| しんしん | shin shin | quietly falling (snow) | Describes snow falling quietly and continuously, often in a serene or desolate setting. | Snowflakes gently, steadily covering a silent landscape at night. | Translated as 'SILENT SNOW', 'GENTLE SNOWFALL', 'QUIETLY FALLING', or 'SOFTLY FALLING SNOW'. |
| 吹き荒れる | fukiareru | to blow wildly/rage (wind) | A fierce, raging wind or storm. This is a verb, but sometimes used with emphasis as an SFX. | A character struggling against an incredibly strong, violent wind during a typhoon. | Usually descriptive rather than pure SFX: 'RAGING WIND', 'WIND RAGES', 'HOWLING GALE', or sometimes 'BLUSTER'. |
| バタバタ | bata bata | flapping/clattering | Can refer to objects flapping violently in strong wind, like shutters or laundry. | Wooden shutters violently flapping against a building during a strong storm. | Commonly 'FLAP FLAP', 'CLATTER', 'RATTLE', or 'BANG BANG'. |
| ひゅうっ | hyu't | sudden whistle/whish | A short, sudden, sharp whistle or gust of wind. | A quick, cold gust of wind suddenly blows past a character, making them shiver. | Often 'WHISH', 'GUST', 'WHIP', or 'WHOOSH'. |
| ザワザワ | zawa zawa | rustling/murmuring | Used for the rustling of leaves in a breeze, or a general murmuring sound from a crowd. For weather, it implies subtle, widespread movement. | A gentle breeze causing the leaves of a forest to rustle softly and continuously. | Translates to 'RUSTLE', 'MURMUR', 'WHISPER', or 'SHIVERING LEAVES'. |
| カタカタ | kata kata | rattle/clatter | A light rattling sound, can be used for windows rattling in the wind or light hail/sleet. | A window pane rattling against its frame during a windy night. | Translated as 'RATTLE', 'CLATTER', 'TAPTAP' (for light impact), or 'SHIVERING'. |
| ごうごう | gou gou | roaring/rumbling (intense) | A fierce, intense roaring sound, much stronger than ゴォォォ, often for a raging storm, waterfall, or fire. | A massive typhoon with powerful winds and rain roaring relentlessly, shaking everything. | Often 'ROAR', 'THUNDEROUS ROAR', 'HOWL', 'GALE', or 'BLUSTER'. |
| ドンドン | don don | bang bang/drumming | A repetitive banging or thudding sound, which can be heavy rain or hail beating on a surface. | Heavy raindrops or hailstones continuously beating hard against a metal roof. | Translated as 'BANG BANG', 'THUD THUD', 'DRUMMING', or 'POUNDING RAIN'. |
| ボトボト | boto boto | heavy drops falling | Heavy, plonking drops, often after rain, or water dripping heavily from a saturated object. | Water dripping heavily from tree branches after a downpour, making loud 'Boto Boto' sounds. | Translated as 'DRIP DRIP', 'PLOP PLOP', 'HEAVY DRIPS', or 'SPLASH SPLASH'. |
| びゅんびゅん | byun byun | whizzing/whooshing (repeated) | Repeated fast, whooshing sounds, often for objects flying quickly or strong, gusty winds. | Strong, erratic gusts of wind whipping around a corner, making a 'byun byun' sound. | Translates to 'WHIZZ WHIZZ', 'WHOOSH WHOOSH', 'GUSTS', or 'WHIRL WHIRL'. |
| キラキラ | kira kira | sparkling/glittering | While not directly a sound, it's a visual SFX for sparkling light, often used for sunlight reflecting on water or ice, or dewdrops. | Sunlight glittering on the surface of a lake after a rain shower, or dewdrops sparkling on leaves. | Often translated descriptively as 'SPARKLE', 'GLITTER', 'SHIMMER', or 'TWINKLE'. |
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