Korean onomatopoeia includes both sound words (의성어) that imitate sounds and mimetic words (의태어) that describe actions, states, or feelings. These vivid expressions make Korean colorful and expressive.
Understanding the Categories
의성어 (Sound Words)
Definition: Words that imitate actual sounds
Examples:
- 멍멍 (bark)
- 야옹 (meow)
- 따르릉 (ring)
의태어 (Mimetic Words)
Definition: Words that describe visual actions, states, or feelings
Examples:
- 반짝반짝 (sparkling)
- 폭신폭신 (soft and fluffy)
- 두근두근 (heartbeat)
Animal Sounds (의성어)
Common Animals
개 (Dog):
- 멍멍: Woof woof / Bark bark
- 개가 멍멍 짖어요 (Dog barks woof woof)
고양이 (Cat):
- 야옹: Meow
- 가르랑: Purr
- 고양이가 야옹 울어요 (Cat meows)
새 (Bird):
- 짹짹: Chirp chirp
- 까악까악: Caw caw (crow)
- 꾀꼬리: Cuckoo
- 새가 짹짹 노래해요 (Bird chirps)
소 (Cow):
- 음메: Moo
- 소가 음메 울어요 (Cow moos)
돼지 (Pig):
- 꿀꿀: Oink oink
- 돼지가 꿀꿀 소리 내요 (Pig oinks)
말 (Horse):
- 히힝: Neigh
- 말이 히힝 울어요 (Horse neighs)
닭 (Chicken):
- 꼬끼오: Cock-a-doodle-doo
- 닭이 꼬끼오 울어요 (Rooster crows)
양 (Sheep):
- 매: Baa
- 양이 매 울어요 (Sheep baas)
개구리 (Frog):
- 개굴개굴: Ribbit ribbit
- 개구리가 개굴개굴 울어요 (Frog ribbits)
Human Sounds (의성어)
Laughter
하하: Ha ha (loud laugh)
히히: Hee hee (giggle)
호호: Ho ho (hearty laugh)
킥킥: Keke (suppressed laugh)
깔깔: Guffaw / Loud laugh
푸하하: Bwahaha (villainous laugh)
Usage: 친구가 하하 웃었어요 (Friend laughed ha ha)
Crying
훌쩍훌쩍: Sob sob / Sniffling
엉엉: Wail wail / Loud crying
흑흑: Boo hoo
Usage: 아기가 엉엉 울어요 (Baby cries wail wail)
Eating and Drinking
냠냠: Nom nom / Yum yum
쩝쩝: Smacking lips
꿀꺽: Gulp
후루룩: Slurp (noodles)
우적우적: Crunch crunch
꼭꼭: Chew chew
Usage: 라면을 후루룩 먹어요 (Slurp noodles)
Body Sounds
방귀: 뿡뿡 (Fart - toot toot)
딸꾹질: 딸꾹 (Hiccup)
재채기: 에취 (Achoo)
기침: 콜록콜록 (Cough cough)
코 골기: 드르렁드르렁 (Snore - zzz)
Objects and Machines (의성어)
Phone and Electronics
따르릉: Ring ring (phone)
띠링: Ding (notification)
딩동: Ding dong (doorbell)
빵빵: Honk honk (car horn)
째깍째깍: Tick tock (clock)
Usage: 전화기가 따르릉 울려요 (Phone rings)
Impact and Collision
쾅: Bang / Thud
탕: Bang (gunshot)
퍽: Thump
쿵: Thud / Boom
와장창: Crash (glass breaking)
덜컹: Clatter
Usage: 문을 쾅 닫았어요 (Slammed door with a bang)
Water and Rain
졸졸: Babble (stream)
철썩철썩: Splash splash (waves)
방울방울: Drip drop
쏴: Swoosh (heavy rain)
우수수: Pitter patter (light rain)
Usage: 비가 우수수 내려요 (Rain patters down)
Movement and Action (의태어)
Walking and Running
총총: Pitter patter (small quick steps)
성큼성큼: Stride / Big steps
터벅터벅: Trudge
깡충깡충: Hop hop
폴짝: Bounce / Jump
아장아장: Toddle (baby walking)
Usage: 아기가 아장아장 걸어요 (Baby toddles)
Speed
쌩쌩: Whoosh / Zoom
휙: Swish / Quick movement
번쩍: Flash / Instant
후다닥: Quickly / In a rush
Usage: 차가 쌩쌩 달려요 (Car zooms)
Shaking and Trembling
들들: Shiver / Tremble
부들부들: Shaking (anger or cold)
덜덜: Shaking (fear)
후들후들: Trembling
Usage: 추워서 부들부들 떨어요 (Shaking from cold)
Visual Descriptions (의태어)
Shining and Sparkling
반짝반짝: Sparkle sparkle / Twinkle
번쩍번쩍: Flash flash / Glitter
빤짝빤짝: Glimmer
반들반들: Shiny / Glossy
Usage: 별이 반짝반짝 빛나요 (Stars twinkle)
Smiling
방긋: Bright smile
싱글벙글: Beaming / Big smile
빙긋: Slight smile
히죽: Smirk
Usage: 아이가 방긋 웃어요 (Child smiles brightly)
Looking
빤히: Stare intently
슬쩍: Glance quickly
깜빡: Blink
끔뻑: Blink repeatedly
Usage: 나를 빤히 쳐다봤어요 (Stared at me intently)
Textures and Sensations (의태어)
Soft and Hard
폭신폭신: Soft and fluffy / Cushiony
푹신푹신: Soft (bedding)
말랑말랑: Squishy / Soft
딱딱: Hard / Stiff
까끌까끌: Rough / Scratchy
보들보들: Soft and smooth
Usage: 베개가 폭신폭신해요 (Pillow is soft and fluffy)
Temperature
뜨끈뜨끈: Warm and cozy
따끈따끈: Warm / Fresh and warm
싸늘: Chilly / Cold
차갑: Ice cold
후끈후끈: Hot and stuffy
Usage: 국이 뜨끈뜨끈해요 (Soup is warm and cozy)
Sticky and Smooth
끈적끈적: Sticky
미끈미끈: Slippery
매끈매끈: Smooth
쫀득쫀득: Chewy
Usage: 손이 끈적끈적해요 (Hands are sticky)
Emotions and Feelings (의태어)
Heart and Excitement
두근두근: Heartbeat / Nervous excitement
콩닥콩닥: Heart pounding
설레설레: Flutter / Excitement
조마조마: Anxious / On edge
Usage: 고백하려니 두근두근해요 (Heart pounds thinking of confessing)
Anger
부글부글: Boiling with anger
화끈화끈: Burning with anger
부아: Rage
속상: Upset
Usage: 화가 나서 부글부글해요 (Boiling with anger)
Sadness
시무룩: Gloomy / Downcast
풀죽: Droopy / Dejected
울적: Melancholy
Usage: 시험을 못 봐서 시무룩해요 (Feeling gloomy after bad test)
Happiness
신나: Excited / Happy
들떠: Elated / Excited
기쁘: Joyful
Usage: 여행 가서 신나요 (Excited about the trip)
Weather (의성어/의태어)
Wind
쌩쌩: Howling wind
솔솔: Gentle breeze
휘익: Whoosh (strong wind)
Usage: 바람이 쌩쌩 불어요 (Wind howls)
Thunder and Lightning
쾅쾅: Boom boom (thunder)
우르릉: Rumble (thunder)
번쩍: Flash (lightning)
Usage: 천둥이 우르릉 쳐요 (Thunder rumbles)
Pattern: Reduplication
Single vs. Double
Many 의성어/의태어 can be:
- Single: 반짝 (one sparkle)
- Double: 반짝반짝 (continuous sparkling)
Double form suggests:
- Repetition
- Continuation
- Intensity
- Cuteness
Examples:
- 깜빡 vs. 깜빡깜빡 (blink vs. blinking)
- 방긋 vs. 방긋방긋 (smile vs. smiling)
- 졸졸 vs. 졸졸졸 (babble)
Using in Sentences
Basic Structure
Pattern: [Subject] + 가/이 + [Onomatopoeia] + [Verb]
Examples:
- 고양이가 야옹 울어요 (Cat meows)
- 별이 반짝반짝 빛나요 (Stars twinkle)
- 배가 꼬르륵 소리 나요 (Stomach growls)
With Adverbs
Adding nuance:
- 아주 반짝반짝 (Very sparkly)
- 너무 두근두근 (Too nervous)
- 정말 푹신푹신 (Really fluffy)
In Descriptions
Making vivid:
- 반짝반짝 빛나는 별 (Twinkling stars)
- 폭신폭신한 베개 (Fluffy pillow)
- 졸졸 흐르는 시냇물 (Babbling stream)
Children's Language
Common in Kids' Speech
Why used more:
- Easy to remember
- Fun to say
- Visual and expressive
- Natural acquisition
Examples:
- 냠냠 먹어 (Eat yum yum)
- 멍멍이 봤어 (Saw doggy)
- 아야 아파 (Owie hurts)
Cultural Notes
Frequency in Korean
Very common because:
- Rich variety
- Expresses nuance
- Makes language vivid
- Shows emotion
Used in:
- Daily conversation
- Children's books
- Comics/Webtoons
- Advertising
- Literature
Formality Levels
Generally casual:
- Less in formal writing
- Common in speech
- Natural in conversation
- Okay in informal emails
Formal alternatives:
- 빛나다 instead of 반짝반짝
- 걷다 instead of 총총
- 울다 instead of 엉엉
Learning Tips
Start with Common Ones
Most useful:
- Animal sounds
- Laughter/crying
- Basic movements
- Common textures
Practice with Children's Content
Good resources:
- Children's books
- Korean cartoons
- Nursery rhymes
- Kids' YouTube
Note Patterns
Remember:
- Similar sounds = similar meanings
- Reduplication = intensity/continuation
- Vowel changes create variations
Common Mistakes
❌ Incorrect: Using in very formal writing
Too casual
✅ Correct: Use in conversation and informal contexts
Natural usage
❌ Incorrect: Translating directly from English
Different sounds in each language
✅ Correct: Learn Korean versions
개 is 멍멍 not "woof woof"
Summary Table
| Type | Korean | Sound/Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Animal | 멍멍 | Woof woof | 개가 멍멍 짖어요 |
| Animal | 야옹 | Meow | 고양이가 야옹 울어요 |
| Movement | 총총 | Pitter patter | 아기가 총총 걸어요 |
| Visual | 반짝반짝 | Sparkle | 별이 반짝반짝 빛나요 |
| Texture | 폭신폭신 | Fluffy | 베개가 폭신폭신해요 |
| Emotion | 두근두근 | Heart pounding | 심장이 두근두근해요 |
| Eating | 냠냠 | Nom nom | 냠냠 맛있게 먹어요 |
| Sound | 따르릉 | Ring ring | 전화가 따르릉 울려요 |
| Water | 철썩철썩 | Splash | 파도가 철썩철썩 쳐요 |
| Weather | 쌩쌩 | Whoosh | 바람이 쌩쌩 불어요 |