Onomanabi - Learn Onomatopoeia

Stop translating. Start feeling.

Onomanabi teaches Japanese onomatopoeia — the sound and mimetic words (giongo and gitaigo) that carry nuance no dictionary translation captures. The kana themselves move, so you feel the difference before you read the explanation. Built for intermediate-to-advanced learners (JLPT N3–N1) and Japanese teachers alike.

WHY ONOMATOPOEIA
"Doki-doki." "Zaa-zaa." "Kira-kira." Japanese is full of words whose real meaning lives in a feeling, not a translation. Onomanabi makes that feeling visible.

FEEL IT THROUGH MOTION
Every word moves in its own way — spinning, bouncing, stretching, trembling — so you feel the difference between "zaa-zaa" and "para-para" instead of just reading about it.

USAGE MAPS
Each word sits on a map of nearby words, with axes chosen for the subject: soft to hard for textures, negative to positive for feelings.

COMPARISON MODE (PREMIUM)
Tap a nearby word on the usage map and the comparison opens right below, with a native note on the decisive difference — the nuance dictionaries flatten out.

QUIZZES THAT STICK
Multiple quiz types (4-choice, typing, comparison) with mistake-prioritized, spaced-repetition review.

LEVELS & COLLECTION
A guided six-level path and word-collection progress, plus a daily word to keep you coming back.

FOR TEACHERS
A category- and level-organized reference for a subject most textbooks barely cover.

FREE TO START
Levels 1–2, part of the dictionary, and usage maps are free — no account needed. Your progress and reviews are saved on your device. The dictionary, quizzes, and reviews work offline.

PREMIUM (ONE-TIME, NOT A SUBSCRIPTION)
- 1,500+ words
- Levels 3–6
- Comparison mode and comparison quizzes
- No further payments, ever

Japanese nuance isn't something you translate. It's something you feel.
Start with today's word.