Entry
噁噁
akuaku
A rare onomatopoeic term used to describe the chirping of small birds or the cawing of crows.
Meaning
Quick Meaning
Represents the vocalizations of various birds. It can refer to the light chirping and tweeting of small birds as well as the harsher, rougher cawing sounds made by crows. It is highly literary and rarely heard in modern spoken Japanese.
- small bird chirping
- crow cawing
Sense Map
Small Birds
The light chirping or tweeting sounds made by small birds.
小鳥があくあく鳴く
Crows
The harsh, loud cawing sound made by crows.
カラスがあくあくと鳴く
Usage Note
How to Use
あくあくと + verb
Used as an adverb followed by the particle to, typically modifying verbs like naku (to cry or chirp).
あくあく + verb
A slightly more direct adverbial form without the to particle, modifying sound-related verbs.
How to Use
Common Phrases
あくあくと鳴く
to chirp or caw
鳥があくあく鳴く
birds chirp
カラスがあくあくと
crows cawing
あくあくと響く
bird sounds echo
Nuance
Context Nuance
| Common Contexts | Nuance | Usage Note |
|---|---|---|
| Modern Conversation | unnatural | Almost never used in daily speech; sounds very strange to modern ears. |
| Literary Context | neutral | May appear in older texts or specific literary contexts referencing the natural world. |
Similar Words
Comparison Table
| Similar Words | When to Use | Not the Same as | Mini Example |
|---|---|---|---|
ちゅんちゅん ちゅんちゅん / similar | Use for the typical chirping of small birds like sparrows. | A much more common and modern word exclusively for small bird chirps. | すずめがチュンチュン鳴く |
かーかー かーかー / similar | Use for the standard sound of crows cawing. | The everyday onomatopoeia for crow sounds, universally understood. | カラスがカーカー鳴く |
Usage Note
Common Mistakes
Using this word in everyday conversation to describe a bird outside your window.
Native speakers use chunchun or kaakaa instead; this term is rarely understood in modern speech.
Confusing it with words for yawning because it sounds like the verb aku.
Despite the phonetic similarity to the verb meaning to open, it specifically relates to bird sounds here.
Examples
Examples
小鳥があくあくと鳴いている。
ことりがあくあくとないている。
Small birds are chirping.
LiteralShows the chirping of small birds in a literary tone.
カラスがあくあくと空を飛ぶ。
からすがあくあくとそらをとぶ。
A crow flies through the sky cawing.
LiteralUsed for the harsh voice of a crow.
森の中から鳥のあくあくという声が聞こえる。
もりのなかからとりのあくあくというこえがきこえる。
The sound of birds chirping can be heard from inside the forest.
LiteralDescribes a natural atmosphere.
朝早くから鳥たちがあくあくと騒がしい。
あさはやくからとりたちがあくあくとさわがしい。
The birds have been noisily chirping since early morning.
LiteralThe word can also represent the sound of many birds together.
静かな山に、あくあくと鳥の声が響いた。
しずかなやまに、あくあくととりのこえがひびいた。
The birds' chirps echoed in the quiet mountain.
LiteralEmphasizes the sound breaking the silence.
Similar Words
チュンチュン
chunchun
The chirping or cheeping sound of small birds, especially sparrows. The standard modern onomatopoeia for small bird chirps.
カーカー
kaakaa
カーカー mimics the cawing sound of a crow, and is also used by young children to refer to the crow itself. The standard modern onomatopoeia for crow caws.
Questions
Is this a common word?
No, it is very rare. Modern Japanese uses chunchun for small birds and kaakaa for crows.
Can it be used for animals other than birds?
No, it is specifically reserved for bird vocalizations like chirps and caws.
How is it usually written?
It is typically written in hiragana. The kanji representation is generally only found in dictionaries.
Source Details
- Entry ID
- 2542060
- Source
- JMdict_english
- Revision
- -
- Review notes
- No special notes
- Active language
- English
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