Entry
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.
Meaning
Quick Meaning
This word represents the loud, harsh cawing sound made by crows. Because of its simple pronunciation, it is also frequently used in children's language (baby talk) to refer directly to a crow.
- Crow's caw
- Crow (baby talk)
Sense Map
Cawing Sound
The loud, harsh sound made by a crow.
カラスがカーカー鳴く
Crow (Childish Noun)
Used by young children or to young children to refer to a crow.
カーカーが飛んでいる
Usage Note
How to Use
カーカー鳴く
Placed directly before the verb '鳴く' (naku - to cry/sing) to describe a crow's caw.
カーカーと鳴く
Adds the particle 'と' (to) to strongly mark the sound as an adverb.
カーカー（名詞）
How to Use
Common Phrases
カーカー鳴く
to caw
カラスがカーカー鳴く
a crow caws
カーカーと鳴いている
is cawing loudly
カーカーが飛ぶ
a crow flies (childish)
Nuance
Context Nuance
| Common Contexts | Nuance | Usage Note |
|---|---|---|
| Describing animal sounds | neutral | The standard onomatopoeia for a crow's caw in Japanese. |
| Talking to toddlers | childish | Parents use this to point out crows to young children. |
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 | For the chirping of small birds like sparrows. | Not used for loud, harsh bird calls like a crow's. | スズメがチュンチュン鳴く |
ほーほー ほーほー / similar | For the hooting of an owl. | Not used for crows. | フクロウがホーホー鳴く |
Usage Note
Common Mistakes
Using it to describe the sound of any bird.
It is specifically strictly used for crows (カラス).
Using it as a standard noun for 'crow' in adult conversation.
As a noun, it is baby talk. Adults should always use 'カラス' (karasu) for the bird.
Examples
Examples
カラスがカーカーと鳴いている。
カラスがカーカーとないている。
A crow is cawing.
LiteralThe typical sound of a crow.
屋根の上でカーカー鳴く鳥がいる。
やねのうえでカーカーなくとりがいる。
There is a bird cawing on the roof.
LiteralDescribes the location of the cawing sound.
ほら、あそこにカーカーがいるよ。
ほら、あそこにカーカーがいるよ。
Look, there's a crow over there.
LiteralChildish language used to point out a crow to a child.
朝からカラスがカーカーとうるさい。
あさからカラスがカーカーとうるさい。
The crows have been cawing noisily since morning.
LiteralConveys the bothersome loudness of the cawing.
空をカーカーが飛んでいくね。
そらをカーカーがとんでいくね。
A crow is flying in the sky, isn't it?
LiteralAnother example of baby talk, talking to a toddler about a flying crow.
Similar Words
チュンチュン
chunchun
For the chirping of small birds.
ホーホー
hoohoo
For the hooting of owls.
Questions
Can I use カーカー for birds other than crows?
No, in Japan this sound is exclusively associated with crows.
How do adults refer to crows?
Adults use the word 'カラス' (karasu). 'カーカー' as a noun is strictly baby talk.
Why is it written in Katakana?
Katakana is the standard script for writing animal sounds and onomatopoeia in Japanese.
Source Details
- Entry ID
- 2039560
- Source
- JMdict_english
- Revision
- -
- Review notes
- No special notes
- Active language
- English
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