Cross-linguistic onomatopoeias

Because of the nature of onomatopoeia, there are many words which show a similar pronunciation in the languages of the world. The following is a list of some conventional examples:

Human sounds

Consuming food or drink Language Biting Eating food Drinking Swallowing Brushing teeth Afrikaans Albanian , , , , , Arabic () Azerbaijani Basque , Batak Bengali (), (), () (), (), (), (), () () Bulgarian (), () () () () Catalan Chinese, Cantonese ( for crunchy foods, in general) () Chinese, Mandarin (), () () Croatian , Czech , , , Danish , , , Dutch , English chomp yum yum, nom nom slurp, glug gulp Estonian , Filipino Finnish , , , , , , , , , , , , , French , German , , , Gujarati Hebrew () () (), (, refers to "shaking teeth") Hindi () () Hungarian , , Icelandic Indonesian , Italian Japanese () (), () () () () Kazakh (), () () Korean () (), (), () () () () Kyrgyz () Latvian Lithuanian Malay , Malayalam (), (, hard/crunchy) () Marathi () () () () Nepali , ) , Norwegian Persian Polish , , (crunch) , (if hard), , Portuguese , Romanian , , , Russian () (, quick), () () Serbian () () Slovak , , Slovene , , Spanish , Swedish , Tamil (, mainly used to indicate crunching) Thai (), () () (), () () Turkish , , , Ukrainian (), (), (, if crunchy), () (), (, if crunchy), (, if hastily), (, if hastily) (), (), () () (), () Vietnamese , , , ,

Bodily functions and involuntary sounds Language Heart beating Belching Coughing Flatulence Sneezing Snoring Yawning Afrikaans Albanian , , , , , Arabic , () , , or hatchu Armenian , , Australian Azerbaijani , Basque , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , (strongly), (nervously) , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Batak Bengali (), (), (), (), , () Bulgarian () () () (), () () Catalan , , , , Cebuano Chinese, Cantonese () or () , () , , Chinese, Mandarin ()"怦怦" in Han Dian online dictionary ()"阿嚏" in Han Dian online dictionary ()"呼噜" in Han Dian online dictionary Croatian , , Czech () Danish , (),bøvs ()ræb , , Dutch , , , , English thump thump, lub dub, ba-bump burp cough cough fart, tootachoo zzz, honk-shoo yawn, ho-hum Estonian , , , Filipino , , , Finnish , , , , , , , , , , French , , , , German , , hust , , , , , ratze-püh Greek (duk-duk) γκουχ γκουχ (gookh gookh) αψ(ι)ου (aps(i)u) Hebrew בּוּם־בּוּם (bum-búm) גְּרֶפְּס (greps) פּוּק (pook), פלוץ (flotz) אַפְּצִ'י apchi in Morfix online dictionary חְררר (xrrr) Hindi (dhak dhak) (achhee) (hā) Hungarian Icelandic Indonesian , Italian , Japanese (, nervous excitement, suspense, thrill) () (), () (), () () () ( Kannada , Kazakh () (), () () (), () Korean () () () () () () () Latin Latvian , Lithuanian , Macedonian () () Malay , , , , , , Marathi (), () (), () (), () (), () Navajo Nepali Norwegian Persian , , Polish , (bumping), , , , , , , , , Portuguese , Romanian ( means to burp) Russian () () () () () Serbian () () () Sinhalese () Slovak Slovene , Spanish , , , Swedish Tamil Telugu Thai (), () () () (), () (), () (), () () Turkish , , , , Urdu Vietnamese , , , , , ,

Cries of distress Language Baby crying Scream Shriek Afrikaans Albanian , , , Arabic () () Azerbaijani , , Basque , , Batak Belarusian () Bengali (), (), (), (), () Bulgarian () (), (), (), () Catalan , , , , , , , Chinese, Cantonese () () Chinese, Mandarin ()"哇哇" in Han Dian online dictionary (), (), (), () Croatian , , , , Czech , Danish vræl Dutch , English wah-wah"wah-wah" from the Oxford English Dictionary ah, arghh ow, ouch, yeow, yow, agh, eek, yikes, oofgah, eek, yikes Estonian , Filipino , , Finnish , , , , , , , , French , , (Quebec), (Quebec), (Quebec), (Belgium) Galician German , , , , , Greek () () Haitian Creole Hebrew (), in Morfix online dictionary (), () Hindi (), () Hungarian , , Icelandic , , Indonesian , , , , Irish Italian , , , Japanese () () () Kazakh () Korean () (), (), () () Kyrgyz () Latvian , , Lithuanian , Macedonian () Malay , , , , , , , , , , Marathi () (), () (), () Navajo Nepali , Norwegian Pashtu , Persian (), () () Polish (stressed on the last syllable), , , , Portuguese , , Romanian , , , , Russian () (), (), () (, pig) Serbian () , , , , , , Slovak Slovenian Spanish , , Sinhalese Swedish , Thai (), () (), (), (), () (), (), () Turkish , , , , Ukrainian (), (), () Urdu (), Uropi Vietnamese , , , , Yiddish ()

Interrupted speech Language Hushing Pausing or thinking Stuttering Afrikaans , Albanian , , , Arabic , () Armenian (), () (), () () Basque Batak Bengali () Bulgarian (, ) () Catalan , , , , , , , Chinese, Cantonese () (, ) () Chinese, Mandarin ()"嘘" in Han Dian online dictionary () Croatian , Czech or , , Danish , , all pronounced , , Dutch , English hush, shh, shush uh, um, er, erm, hmmm, mmm Estonian , Filipino Finnish , , French , German , , husch, schusch , , Greek (), (), (, “silence”) (), () Hebrew () () אהה (Ehhh) () Hindi , () , () , () Hungarian , , , Icelandic , Indonesian Italian , Japanese () (), () Korean () (), (), () (), () Latvian , , Lithuanian , Malay , Marathi (), () () () Norwegian , Persian Polish , , , , , Portuguese , , , , , , , Romanian , , Russian (), (), () (), () () Serbian (), () Sinhalese () Slovak , Slovene , , Spanish , Swedish Tamil Thai (), () (), () () Turkish , , , Ukrainian () () Uropi , Vietnamese , ,

Expressions of positive emotions Language Laughter Kiss Afrikaans Albanian , , , Arabic Armenian (), () Asturian , Basque Batak Bengali (), (), () (), (), (), (), () Bosnian , , , Bulgarian (), (), () (), () Catalan , , , , , , , , Chinese, Cantonese () Chinese, Mandarin (),"哈哈" in Han Dian online dictionary (),"呵呵" in Han Dian online dictionary (),"嘻嘻" in Han Dian online dictionary () (, this word is a modern creation) Croatian , , Czech , , Danish , , , , Dutch , , English haha, heh-heh, hoho, (tee)heehee mwah, smooch, smack Estonian , , , , Filipino , , , Finnish , , , , (girly), (unintelligent), , (cunning) , French , , , , German , , Greek (), () (), (), () Hebrew ()"חָה חָה חָה" in Morfix online dictionary () Hindi (), () () Hungarian , , , Icelandic , , (tittering or laughter) Indonesian , , , , , Italian , , , Japanese (), () () Kazakh () () Korean (), () () Latvian Lithuanian Macedonian () Malay , , , Malayalam (), () () Marathi (), () (loud laughter) () Navajo , Nepali (, ) , Norwegian , , , Persian , , , , Polish , , , , Portuguese , , , , Romanian , , , Russian (), (), () () Serbian (), (), () () Sinhalese () Slovak , , Slovene , , , , Somali Spanish , , , , , , (South America) Swedish , , , , , Tamil Telugu Thai () (), () Turkish , , (girly), (girly, sarcastic), (sarcastic) Ukrainian (), , (), (), (), (), (, , (), , , () Vietnamese , , , , , , ,

Animal sounds

Bird sounds Domestic birds Language Chicken clucking Rooster crowing Turkey calling Goose calling Duck calling Afrikaans Albanian Arabic (), () , , , () () (), ()الباحث العربي: قاموس عربي عربي Armenian () , Basque Batak Bengali (), () (), (), (), () Bulgarian () () () () Catalan , , , , , , , , Chinese, Cantonese () () () Chinese, Mandarin () () (),"嘎嘎" in Han Dian online dictionary 呱呱 (guā guā)"呱呱" in Han Dian online dictionary Croatian , Czech Danish , Dutch , English cluck cluck, bawk bawk, bok bok bok, bok bok b'gawk, buk erk cock a doodle doo gobble gobble honk honk quack Estonian , , , Filipino , Finnish , , , , , , , French , , Georgian კაკანი (), კუ-კუ () ყურყლუტი ყიყინი () German , Greek (), () (sitting) () () Hebrew (), () () () () Hindi () Hungarian Icelandic Indonesian Irish Italian Japanese () () () () Kazakh () () Korean () (), () () () Latgalian , , Latin Latvian Lithuanian , , Macedonian () () Malayalam () Marathi () ()"" from the Marathi Wikipedia Nepali Norwegian Persian , (Northern) Polish , , Portuguese , , , Romanian Russian (), () () () () Serbian () () () () Sinhalese () Slovene , Spanish , , Sundanese Swedish , Tamil Telugu Thai () () () Turkish Ukrainian () () () Uropi Vietnamese ,

Wild birds Language Bird singing Crow calling Owl hooting Afrikaans Albanian Arabic (), () (to chirp), () (), (),الباحث العربي: قاموس عربي عربي / ()الباحث العربي: قاموس عربي عربي Armenian () () () Basque Bengali () Bosnian Bulgarian () () () Catalan , Chinese, Cantonese () Chinese, Mandarin ()"叽叽喳喳" in Han Dian online dictionary ()"哑哑" in Han Dian online dictionary Croatian , Czech , Danish , , Dutch , , , English chirp chirp, tweet tweet, cheep cheep, peep peep caw cawhoo hoo, twit twoo (AUS), toowit toowoo Estonian , , , , Filipino Finnish , , , (great tit), (common cuckoo) , , , French , German , , uh huh Greek () () Hebrew (), () () () Hindi () () () Hungarian Icelandic , Indonesian , , Italian , (chick) Japanese (chick) (), (), () (), () () Kannada Kazakh (), () () Korean () () () Latgalian Latvian , Lithuanian , Macedonian () () Malay Malayalam () () Marathi (), (), (), (), () () Norwegian Persian (), () () Polish , , , , , , (cuckoo), , , Portuguese Romanian , Russian (), (), () () (), () Serbian () () Sinhalese () () Slovak , Slovene Spanish , Swedish , Tamil Telugu Thai () (; also means a crow) () Turkish , , Ukrainian (), () Vietnamese ( also means a crow) ,

Mammal sounds Cats and dogs

Language Cat meowing Dog barking Dog or wolf howling Afrikaans Small dogs & large dogs Albanian , , , , Arabic () () (), , () Armenian () () Basque , (small dogs), (big dogs) Batak Bengali () (), (), () Bulgarian () (), () () Catalan , , , , , Chinese, Cantonese () () Chinese, Mandarin ()"喵" in Han Dian online dictionary ()"汪汪" in Han Dian online dictionary Croatian ; (tomcat) Czech Danish , , , , , Dutch , , Egyptian () English miaow (UK), meow (US) woof, arf, bow wow, ruff, bark, yap yap, yip yip (small dog) awoo, aroo Estonian , , , , Filipino , , Finnish , , , , , , French , , Galician German , , Greek () () () Hebrew () (), () () Hindi (, ) () () Hungarian , Icelandic Indonesian Italian , , Japanese () (), (, smaller dogs) (), () Kannada Kazakh () (), () () Korean () () () Latgalian Latvian , Lithuanian Macedonian () (), () Malayalam () () Malay () Marathi () () () Nepali () () Norwegian , Persian () (), () Polish , , (purr), (purr) , Portuguese , , Romanian Russian (), (, purr) (, big dogs), (, small dogs) () Serbian () () () Sinhalese () ()Slovak , , Slovene Spanish Swedish , , , Tamil () (), , Telugu Thai (), () (), () () Turkish Ukrainian () () Urdu Uropi Vietnamese , Volapük Welsh

Equine sounds