🔊 Splash, Thud, & Clang: Mastering Korean Onomatopoeia

Bring your Korean to life with 10+ essential sound-imitating words.

Child playing with colorful xylophone representing sounds in Korean

Have you ever noticed how Korean webtoons (Manhwa) or K-dramas use repetitive, rhythmic words to describe sounds? These are Uiseong-eo (의성어), or onomatopoeia. In 2026, as digital content becomes more immersive, understanding these "vivid words" is the key to achieving intermediate fluency and truly understanding the vibe of a scene.

📝 1. Top 10+ Onomatopoeia for Daily Use

Here are the most common sounds you'll encounter in Korea, along with practical sentences to use them in context:

쨍그랑 (Jjaeng-geu-rang) - Glass shattering or metal clanging.
예문: 유리컵이 바닥에 떨어져서 쨍그랑 소리가 났어요.
쿵 (Kung) - A loud thud or something heavy dropping.
예문: 위층에서 쿵 하는 소리가 들려서 깜짝 놀랐어요.
두근두근 (Du-geun-du-geun) - Heart pounding (excitement/nervousness).
예문: 첫 데이트를 앞두고 심장이 두근두근 거려요.
보글보글 (Bo-geul-bo-geul) - Water or soup boiling.
예문: 주방에서 김치찌개가 보글보글 끓고 있어요.
졸졸 (Jol-jol) - Small stream of water flowing.
예문: 산책로 옆으로 시냇물이 졸졸 흘러요.
똑똑 (Ttok-ttok) - Knocking on a door or water dripping.
예문: 문을 똑똑 두드리고 방으로 들어갔어요.
하하 / 호호 (Ha-ha / Ho-ho) - Typical laughing sounds.
예문: 아이들이 마당에서 하하 웃으며 뛰어놀아요.
칙칙폭폭 (Chik-chik-pok-pok) - The sound of a steam train.
예문: 기차가 칙칙폭폭 연기를 내뿜으며 달려요.
바스락 (Ba-seu-rak) - Rustling sound (like dry leaves).
예문: 가을바람에 낙엽이 바스락 소리를 내요.
꿀꺽 (Ggul-kkeok) - Gulping sound (swallowing).
예문: 시원한 물을 한 번에 꿀꺽 마셨어요.
따르릉 (Tta-reu-reung) - Telephone or bicycle bell ringing.
예문: 갑자기 전화가 따르릉 울려서 잠에서 깼어요.

🌏 2. Cultural Deep Dive: Why is Korean so Sound-Rich?

Did you know that Korean has over 4,000 onomatopoeic and mimetic words? This is significantly more than English. This richness stems from Vowel Harmony (양성/음성 모음), where bright vowels (ㅏ, ㅗ) describe small/light sounds, and dark vowels (ㅓ, ㅜ) describe large/heavy sounds.

For example:

졸졸 (Jol-jol): Light stream.
줄줄 (Jul-jul): Heavy rain or thick liquid flowing.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Hoon's Native Tips

English speakers often think onomatopoeia is for kids. But in Korea, you'll see these words in News Headings and High Literature! Using '보글보글' when describing your cooking instantly makes you sound like a "Native Listener." Don't be shy—mimic the rhythm!

🎬 Ready to Sound More Vivid?

Mastering these sounds requires practice with a native ear. Let's practice storytelling using these "vivid words" so you can describe your day with color. Book a 1:1 session on italki today!

Practice with Teacher Hoon

Updated: January 4, 2026 | Level: Zone 2 Intermediate