This is a website about giongo (onomatopoeia) and gitaigo (mimetic words), created by The National Institute for Japanese Language. You can study giongo and gitaigo by syllabary order, by category or by scene/manga.

• You can study giongo and gitaigo arranged by Japanese syllabary order, by different categories, through various scenes depicted in single illustrations or in the context of a short story shown in a 4-panel manga (comic) strip.
• You can study the giongo and gitaigo in detail, with the following sections included on the explanation screen: 1.どう使う？ (How to use); 2.文例 (Example sentence, with detailed explanation); 3.会話を読んでみよう (Example conversation, with audio)
• The giongo and gitaigo are shown simply using illustrations and manga.
• In the コラム (columns) section, there are articles about Japanese giongo and gitaigo, and also a comparison between those found in the Japanese language and those found in Korean.

50音別 (Arranged by Japanese syllabary order)

Let's look at the word "あっさり"(assari).

'どう使う？' (How to use) screen

'文例' (Example sentence) screen

'会話を読んでみよう' (Example conversation) screen

"あっさり" as seen in manga

カテゴリー別 (Arranged by category)

In the カテゴリー別 section, you can choose to look at giongo and gitaigo arranged by different categories, including
・various sounds and voices
・the movement and appearance of things
・the movement and appearance of people and animals
・people's senses and feelings

マンガを読もう (Let's read manga)

You can look at giongo and gitaigo by single illustrated scene, or by reading a 4-panel manga.

Search via various scenes

The illustration '暑い夏の日' (a hot summer's day), from the setting 'お風呂' (bathing)

4-panel manga

コラム (Columns)

This site is also introduced in the "e! Kore" article, 'Niko niko' or 'Niya niya'?

These contents are part of the  'Japanese Language Education Network (日本語教育ネット ワーク)' managed by the National Institute for Japanese Language and Linguistics (国立国語研究所).