Entry
ごぼごぼ
gobogobo
The heavy, wet sound of a large amount of liquid bubbling, gurgling, or mixing with air.
Meaning
Quick Meaning
Describes the heavy, low-pitched sound made when a large volume of water moves, gushes, or flows down while mixing with air. Commonly heard in draining pipes, welling springs, or sinking objects.
- Draining pipes
- Welling water
- Sinking objects
Sense Map
Draining & Pipes
The gurgling sound of water running down a drain or struggling through a pipe.
排水口からごぼごぼと音がする。
Gushing & Sinking
The sound of heavy bubbling when water wells up from a spring, or when something sinks underwater.
川に落ちて、ごぼごぼと沈んでいった。
Usage Note
How to Use
ごぼごぼ（と） + 動詞
Used before verbs like flow (流れる) or sink (沈む) to describe the action accompanied by a gurgling sound.
ごぼごぼ鳴る
Used to state that something is making a gurgling or heavy bubbling sound, often used for stomachs or drains.
ごぼごぼ音を立てる
Focuses on the production of the sound itself, literally 'making a gurgling sound.'
How to Use
Common Phrases
ごぼごぼと水が湧く
water wells up with a gurgling sound
ごぼごぼ音を立てる
to make a gurgling sound
ごぼごぼと沈む
to sink with heavy bubbles
排水口がごぼごぼ鳴る
the drain gurgles loudly
Nuance
Context Nuance
| Common Contexts | Nuance | Usage Note |
|---|---|---|
| Clogged drains | Neutral | Often used to describe the loud gurgling of pipes when water is struggling to flow down. |
| Sinking underwater | Negative | Gives a heavy and scary impression of swallowing water while drowning. |
Similar Words
Comparison Table
| Similar Words | When to Use | Not the Same as | Mini Example |
|---|---|---|---|
ぶくぶく ぶくぶく / similar | Use for lighter bubbling, foaming, or blowing bubbles underwater. | ぶくぶく feels much lighter and smaller in volume compared to the heavy gurgle of ごぼごぼ. | 水に潜ってぶくぶく息を吐く。 |
じゃあじゃあ じゃあじゃあ / similar | Use for water pouring noisily or a faucet left wide open. | じゃあじゃあ is just the sound of a steady, noisy stream, without the trapped air sound of ごぼごぼ. | 水道の水がじゃあじゃあ流れる。 |
Usage Note
Common Mistakes
Using it for the sound of drinking or gulping water.
For the sound of swallowing water smoothly, use ごくごく (gokugoku).
Using it for carbonated drinks.
The sound of fine bubbles in soda is しゅわしゅわ (shuwashuwa), not ごぼごぼ.
Examples
Examples
排水口の奥でごぼごぼと音が鳴っている。
はいすいこうの おくで ごぼごぼと おとが なっている。
A gurgling sound is echoing from deep inside the drain.
LiteralFocuses on the sound of water gurgling inside a confined pipe.
大きな気泡を立てながら、池の底へごぼごぼと沈んでいった。
おおきな きほうを たてながら、 いけの そこへ ごぼごぼと しずんでいった。
It sank to the bottom of the pond with a heavy bubbling sound, releasing large air bubbles.
LiteralDescribes the sound of large air bubbles escaping as something sinks.
岩の隙間から、澄んだ水がごぼごぼと湧き出ている。
いわの すきまから、 すんだ みずが ごぼごぼと わきでている。
Clear water is welling up from the cracks in the rocks with a gurgling sound.
LiteralWater welling out from a spring in a large, heavy volume.
ペットボトルの水を一気に流し込むと、ごぼごぼと音を立てた。
ペットボトルの みずを いっきに ながしこむと、 ごぼごぼと おとを たてた。
When the water from the plastic bottle was poured out all at once, it made a heavy gugging sound.
LiteralThe sound of water colliding with air inside the bottleneck.
水を飲みすぎて、お腹がごぼごぼ鳴っている。
みずを のみすぎて、 おなかが ごぼごぼ なっている。
My stomach is gurgling because I drank too much water.
LiteralDescribes a stomach feeling full of moving liquid.
Similar Words
ごぼっ
gobo
ごぼっ is a Japanese onomatopoeia that describes a sudden, single gurgling sound, or the abrupt caving in of a surface leaving a large hole.
じゃあじゃあ
jaajaa
じゃあじゃあ describes the loud and continuous sound of a large volume of water gushing or pouring out. Steady, noisy water flow
ぶくぶく
bukubuku
ぶくぶく describes the sound or sight of bubbles in liquid, something swelling up excessively, or overly baggy clothing. Smaller bubbles
ボコボコ
bokoboko
Describes something full of dents or bumps, a heavy bubbling sound, or the act of beating someone up severely.
Questions
Can I use it for boiling water?
Yes, if the bubbles are very large and heavy, but ぐらぐら (guragura) is much more common for the state of boiling itself.
How is it different from ぶくぶく (bukubuku)?
ごぼごぼ feels heavier and implies a larger volume of water mixing with air compared to the lighter bubbles of ぶくぶく.
Can this be used for stomach noises?
Yes, when your stomach feels full of liquid and gurgles heavily, it can be described with ごぼごぼ.
Source Details
- Entry ID
- 1004980
- Source
- JMdict_english
- Revision
- -
- Review notes
- No special notes
- Active language
- English
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