Learn Japanese with JapanesePod101.com! Today we cover animal and insect sounds in Japanese! The use of onomatopoeia - the formation of words that imitate sounds associated with the objects, actions, or sounds they refer to - to explain animal sounds is a commonality shared by languages throughout the world. Today Sakura and Yoshi take us on trip to Ueno zoo and help us figure out all the Japanese words for animal sounds!
Be sure to stop by JapanesePod101.com for the bonus track - a Japanese song about chirping mushi!
This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 27th, 2006 at 10:19 pm and is filed under Beginner Lessons. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
30 Responses to “Beginner Lesson #128 - Animal/Insect Orchestra”
JapanesePod101.com says:
September 27th, 2006 at 10:22 pm
Mina-san, today’s location is モントーク岬・Montouku misaki! Hello to all of listeners in Long Island, N.Y.
Hello tech guy!
anon says:
September 27th, 2006 at 10:23 pm
hello, im still doing a lot of catching up (gomenasai!!) but i was listening to survival phrases, where the topic was ordering food. i would just like to add that where i live, some fast food restaurants give u a number and then they say it over a pa system and u get ur own food, but some, even in mcdonalds, especially if they take a while to prepare ur food, they take the food to u, and these two are quite common.
Peter says:
September 27th, 2006 at 11:51 pm
Anon-san, thanks for the post! Where do you live?! The service sounds really nice! 
Michael-san, yes I know! My brother is out there right now!
The Sakura animal noises in the learning center is my new favorite audio track! 
hana says:
September 28th, 2006 at 2:38 am
Ahh, Sakura-san’s animal noises are wonderful~ I am new here, but I already can tell I’ll like it!
Alain says:
September 28th, 2006 at 3:00 am
Only Japanesepod101 could do this lesson! Thank you Sakura!
Very interesting, and the song is fine!
キリ キリ キリ キリ こおろぎや
ガチャ ガチャ ガチャ ガチャ くつわむし
あとから うまおい おいついて
チョン チョン チョン チョン スイーッチョン (what is this chonchon?)
あきの よながを なきとおす
ああ おもしろい むしの こえ
Mark says:
September 28th, 2006 at 3:36 am
What a great lesson and song! More beginner lessons with Sakuraさん おねがいします！
Question: What is the usage difference between ippai and takusan?
Alan says:
September 28th, 2006 at 4:05 am
動物に話すことができれば。思っている。猿の言語で猿に話す。虎に話すと思う。チーターに話す。すごい。
Dr Dolittle anyone 
Alan says:
September 28th, 2006 at 4:24 am
Slightly better version, but somehow it lacks the magic of the original.
動物に話すことができれば、思っている。猿の言語で猿に話す。虎に話すと思う。チーターに話す。すごい。
I’m off to talk to my plants. 
Vicky says:
September 28th, 2006 at 4:25 am
Nice song with Sakura-san and Yoshi-san!!!
It’s very relaxing me some reason, is it supposed to make you fall asleep?
Daniel Beck says:
September 28th, 2006 at 6:39 am
Sakuraさん、
Always nice to hear your lovely voice!
Animal Park – sounds like the name of a movie! 
Question, is there a different sound for 鴨 as opposed to 家鴨？ 
Another question, does the sound of a fox sound anything like the Japanese sound?
Kermit™ rules! 
bakaneko says:
September 28th, 2006 at 7:14 am
Wow, I’ve never had such interesting and “soundful” lesson in a foreign language. That was absolutely entertaining.
I wonder which animal was daniel beck mimicking when Daniel-san are doing his usual “yoshi yoshi yoshi blah blah blah.”
Oh BTW, how would you ask that question above in Japanese?
Tom says:
September 28th, 2006 at 10:34 am
Hi I`m a long time listener from England. Ive recently moved to Japan to work.
I have learnt so much from Jpod 101, its really helped me settle into life in Japan. Thank you so much guys, Japanesepod 101 is an amazing team! Keep up the great work!
Tom
Alan says:
September 28th, 2006 at 11:03 am
Daniel-san,
I think くんくん is the sound of the fox barking. However when they sing in my back garden, it’s more a mix of ‘yipping’ and howling. Of course those aren’t japanese foxes.
>鴨 as opposed to 家鴨
I have a sudden urge to say ‘african or european’ (Monty Python) except that’s swallows. Maybe the 鴨 goes はいはい, when cold-called by life insurance salesman.
Bakaneko-san,
Maybe Daniel-san is mimicking a parrot and his usual “yoshi yoshi yoshi…” is his おうむ返し。(parrot’s refrain).
ダヌルさんのやっぱり「よし よし よし ぺらぺら」と言ったら、動物が吼えるのは何ですか。is my awful attempt to convert your question to japanese. I’m sure others can do better
Alan says:
September 28th, 2006 at 11:11 am
Maybe 動物が吼えるので動物は何ですか is a bit better. Oh well, that’ll do. I should be sleeping.
bakaneko says:
September 28th, 2006 at 12:41 pm
Thank you, Alan-san, for that translation. It’s still a couple of levels above as I cannot parse some of the grammar there. But your effort was beyond what I expected from anyone already, and I appreciate that much. Thanks.
Joao Paulo says:
September 28th, 2006 at 1:31 pm
I really didn’t know animals sounded differently worldwide.
I thought they spoke the same language everywhere
Living and learning w/ JP101!!! Gr8 acting from Sakura and Yoshi.
Btw, nice to “see” Sakura’s back!!!
よろしくおねがいします。
Daniel Beck says:
September 28th, 2006 at 1:36 pm
bakanekoさん、
“Yoshi Yoshi Yoshi…blah blah blah…” is the sound of the Rat.
Yoshi says:
September 28th, 2006 at 1:51 pm
Did someone call me?
By the way, has someone seen my rat?
Barbara says:
September 28th, 2006 at 2:59 pm
Joao Paulo-san
I once knew someone whose dog spoke Spanish. If you spoke to him in English he just looked at you and did not obey.
I had a chicken, I think he spoke Japanese.
Daniel Beck says:
September 28th, 2006 at 3:53 pm
Yoshi Yoshi Yoshi…blah blah blah… 
I’m not your rat man. 
I’m not anyone’s rat, but my own.
Alan says:
September 28th, 2006 at 4:02 pm
Some rat idioms
窮そ猫を噛む (A cornered rat will bite a cat)
鼠に引かれそう (Ready to be led away by a mouse - i.e. lonely, on ones own)
袋の中の鼠 (A rat in a sack - i.e. trapped like a rat)
I really like the “ready to be led away by a mouse” one.
Daniel Beck says:
September 28th, 2006 at 4:23 pm
Alanさん、
Re: rat idioms.
Well, rats will bite more than just cats when cornered.
A mouse is not a rat.
Rat’s don’t get trapped. At least not this one.
Alan says:
September 28th, 2006 at 4:34 pm
Danielさん、
1. Quite true, and a good reason to tuck ones trousers into ones socks when shifting grain out of barns.
2. Yes, but there’s no distinction in japanese
3. I’ve been caught in a ネズミ捕り once, so I can’t say the same 
Jason says:
September 28th, 2006 at 8:10 pm
I haven’t gotten the chance to listen to this lesson yet, but just from the title I’m really looking forward to it.
Joao Paulo says:
September 28th, 2006 at 11:34 pm
Barbara-san
Very interesting observation.
Anyway, my dogs didn’t obey me whatever language I spoke to them. Believe me, I did try!!!!
So I guess my problem was beyond communication.
Sindy from Brooklyn says:
October 1st, 2006 at 7:31 am
Daniel-san excellent you’re a rat too like me that is why we get along that way because we are both rats and want the cheese
I agree with Joao Paulo I also didn’t new that animals sounded differently now I know! My cat and my dog understand both English and Spanish so its no problem now I need to teach them Japanese after I learn it 100% of course so its a long road ahead!
I have like four days I haven’t been here and I will tell you why and my opinion about the ilove 3 video! S_R_C
renee says:
January 9th, 2008 at 5:59 pm
i absolutely love the song!!! 
please share the lyrics of the song…and also what it means
thank you!
JFJF says:
May 23rd, 2008 at 6:01 pm
A little bug report:
The conversation on the second page seems not complete.
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