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What is words of “○っ○り”

Onomatopoeia is an expression like “bow wow“　 “gulp“　 or  “click “.

In Japanese, they are expressed as “wan wan“, “goku goku“, and “kachi“, respectively.

Thus, in addition to imitating actual sounds, onomatopoeia is a sensory phoneticization of a situation or condition for which no sound is made.

According to one theory, there are approximately 2,000 to 4,500 onomatopoeic words in Japanese.

On the other hand, English is said to have several hundred words, and compared to English, Japanese has a very large number of onomatopoeia.

On this site, 170 Japanese expressions in the form of

“○っ○り”＝”○ tsu（ꞯ）○ri （ɾʲi）”  are explained.

“○っ○り” often functions as an adverb or adjective describing an action or state of being.

It has a meaning similar to the present tense rather than the present progressive tense.

Characteristics of Japanese Onomatopoeia

The amount of onomatopoeia does not determine the superiority of a language.

Onomatopoeia and climate seem to be related.

Finland has more than 40 ways to call snow, and the Yanomami, a people of the Amazon, are said to have more than 50 ways to call rain.

In hot and humid Japan, there are many onomatopoeias related to water and humidity.

There are also many other vocal expressions without birds or insects.

In English, on the other hand, the sounds of livestock and machinery seem to be more common.

The Japanese use  “○っ○り”words super-abundantly.

Japanese speakers whose native language is Japanese

(hereafter referred to as “Japanese” for the sake of convenience) use “○っ○り” words

in a very frequent way in their daily lives.

I think that trying to communicate without using onomatopoeia or “○っ○り” words

in the course of a day, It must be quite difficult and cramped.

Onomatopoeia and “○っ○り” words may not be formal spoken or written language,

but Onomatopoeia and “○っ○り” words are an essential part of Japanese communication.

Japanese people unconsciously share certain images.

The use of onomatopoeia is rarely a topic of conversation among Japanese.

This is because everyone is able to use them unconsciously.

And, if they are used differently, doesn’t it mean that there is a “clear difference and shared image” in each of them?

For example, in the manga “One Piece”,

the expression “DON” is used frequently.

“DON” is an onomatopoeia that describes the dull impact sound of a heavy,

flat-bottomed object striking with great force.

Sound D, at least to me, evokes heaviness, dullness, thickness, and big thing.

Onomatopoeia is difficult for non-native speakers to handle.

For example,

GATAN GOTON (the sound of a train),

KOKE KOKKO(the sound of a chicken crowing),

WAN　WAN (the sound of a dog barking),

I believe that onomatopoeic words can convey what is being said,

even though they are not expressed that way in the native language.

However, onomatopoeia that expresses a state of being without sound,

such as “ASSARI” or “KOTTERI”, is

I assume that foreigners would find these expressions difficult to understand.

Even for foreigners who have been in Japan for a long time and are fluent in Japanese, how well do they understand the nuances of the language?

No, let’s not use the common “Japanese is special and difficult” argument.

Japanese people tend to make the assumption that because the Japanese language is difficult, foreigners will not be able to fully understand it.

If foreigners cannot understand, it is not because the Japanese language is difficult.

I believe that if foreigners cannot understand Japanese, it is not because the language is difficult, but because we have not approached it in such a way that it can be understood.

Or

For native Japanese speakers, onomatopoeia is so commonplace that even Japanese speakers do not check the meaning of onomatopoeia with each other.

I think it is a fact that native Japanese speakers are not even conscious of the fact that onomatopoeia may be difficult for non-native speakers to understand.

Purpose of this website

As far as I know, there are no books or websites that specifically explain “○っ○り” words.

This site is an attempt to convey to foreigners (since Japanese people do not need explanations) the sense of “○っ○り” words  that Japanese people share sensuously.

I think it is quite a hurdle for a foreigner to master the use of onomatopoeia.

The conjugations and etymologies are mixed, and many of the expressions are less formal than others.

I have heard that some foreigners who are fluent in Japanese do not “dare” to use onomatopoeia, which I think is very wise.

Therefore, our goal is to have you understand expressions that are frequently used in manga, video works, and daily conversation, because it does not matter if they cannot use them.

The explanation in the dictionary is also included, but the dictionary is a craftsman’s art to express a word in the minimum number of words due to the space limitation of the paper.

In this site, we try to write about images that are not found in dictionaries, but which Japanese people may feel in common.

On the other hand, even if the meaning is listed in the dictionary
I myself have never heard of or used it before. I have omitted them as appropriate.

Enjoy the mysterious, free and strange world of the Japanese language.