Entry
ブーブー
buubuu
Represents the sound of honking, vibrating, a pig oinking, or persistent complaining.
Meaning
Quick Meaning
This word describes a low-pitched, continuous, or repetitive sound like a car horn, a buzzing cell phone, or a pig oinking. Figuratively, it is used to describe someone who is persistently whining or grumbling. Additionally, it is a common baby talk noun for car.
- Honking / Vibrating
- Pig sound
- Persistent complaining
- Car (baby talk)
Sense Map
Honking / Vibrating
Used for continuous mechanical or electronic buzzing and honking sounds.
スマホがブーブー鳴る。
Pig Sound
Represents the sound a pig makes (oinking).
豚がブーブー鳴く。
Complaining
Describes the act of whining, grumbling, or complaining in an annoying or childish manner.
ブーブー文句を言う。
Car
Used as a noun for car when speaking to toddlers.
ブーブーが来る。
Usage Note
How to Use
ブーブー鳴る
Pairs with the verb 鳴る (to sound) to describe a phone vibrating or a horn honking.
ブーブー言う
Pairs with the verb 言う (to say/speak) to describe someone who is constantly complaining.
ブーブー文句を言う
Uses 文句を言う (to complain) to put stronger emphasis on the annoying nature of the complaints.
ブーブー + particle (as a noun)
Used purely as a noun meaning car in baby talk, taking particles like が or を.
How to Use
Common Phrases
ブーブー鳴る
to honk / to vibrate
ブーブー言う
to complain / to whine
ブーブー文句を言う
to grumble persistently
ブーブーが来る
a car is coming (baby talk)
Nuance
Context Nuance
| Common Contexts | Nuance | Usage Note |
|---|---|---|
| Phones and car horns | Neutral | The standard, factual way to describe continuous electronic buzzing or honking. |
| People complaining | Negative | Criticizes the person for being whiny, full of excuses, or complaining unnecessarily. |
| Speaking to toddlers | Positive | An affectionate and standard baby talk noun for cars. |
Similar Words
Comparison Table
| Similar Words | When to Use | Not the Same as | Mini Example |
|---|---|---|---|
ぶー ぶー / similar | Used for a single, short beep, honk, or buzz. | ブーブー implies continuous or repeated sounds rather than a single instance. | ブーと鳴る。 |
ぶっぶー ぶっぶー / contrast | Used specifically for the wrong answer buzzer sound in games or quizzes. | It carries a sharp, corrective tone and is not used for phone vibrations or human complaints. | ブッブー、不正解。 |
がちゃがちゃ がちゃがちゃ / contrast | Used for noisy clattering sounds or a chaotic, disorganized state. | While both can mean noisy complaining, ガチャガチャ is more chaotic, whereas ブーブー focuses on whiny persistence. | ガチャガチャ文句を言う。 |
Usage Note
Common Mistakes
Using ブーブー to describe the sound of a car engine revving.
It refers to the horn or the car itself. For a revving engine, Japanese uses ブルルン (bururun).
Using ブーブー言う to politely state a legitimate complaint at work.
This term sounds childish and implies petty whining. For serious complaints, use standard verbs without onomatopoeia.
Examples
Examples
スマホが机の上でブーブー鳴っている。
スマホが つくえの うえで ブーブー なっている。
My smartphone is buzzing on the desk.
LiteralIndicates a continuous electronic vibrating sound.
動物園で豚がブーブー鳴いていた。
どうぶつえんで ぶたが ブーブー ないていた。
The pigs were oinking at the zoo.
LiteralThe standard representation for pig sounds in Japanese.
彼は仕事についてブーブー文句を言う。
かれは しごとについて ブーブー もんくを いう。
He is always grumbling about his work.
FigurativeIndicates persistent and annoying complaining.
ブーブー言わずに早く宿題を終わらせなさい。
ブーブー いわずに はやく しゅくだいを おわらせなさい。
Stop whining and finish your homework quickly.
FigurativeOften used to scold someone making too many excuses.
ほら、かっこいいブーブーが走っているよ。
ほら、かっこいい ブーブーが はしっているよ。
Look, a cool car is driving by.
LiteralBaby talk for a car.
Similar Words
ブー
bu-
Short, non-repeated version.
ブッブー
bubbuu
The buzzing sound of a wrong answer buzzer or a short, loud car horn. Specifically for the wrong answer buzzer.
ガチャガチャ
gachagacha
A loud metallic clattering sound or a state of being visually cluttered and messy. Also means noisy complaining, but has a more chaotic nuance.
Questions
Do Japanese pigs really say bu-bu?
Yes, in Japanese onomatopoeia, the low snorting of a pig is represented as bu-bu, unlike the English oink.
Can I use bu-bu for vibrations other than phones?
Yes, as long as the vibration produces a low, continuous, and repetitive mechanical buzzing sound.
Is it rude to tell a friend they are doing bu-bu iu?
It depends on your tone, but it usually acts as a casual scolding, essentially telling them to stop whining.
Source Details
- Entry ID
- 1011120
- Source
- JMdict_english
- Revision
- -
- Review notes
- No special notes
- Active language
- English
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