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How to say 'Sound' in Japanese | 音

Wondering how to say 'Sound' in Japanese? You're in the right place!

The Japanese word for Sound is 'Oto', written as 音 in Japanese.'Sound' in hiragana is おと.

    word

    Meaning

    Sound

    Reading

    おと

    oto

    Kanji

    Sound

    Explanation

    The Japanese noun '音 (おと)' means 'sound'. It refers to any audible noise, whether natural or artificial. This word is commonly used in various contexts, such as describing the sound of rain, music, or voices. For example: I heard a strange sound「変な音が聞こえた」(へんなおとがきこえた). The sound of the piano is beautiful「ピアノの音が美しい」(ピアノのおとがうつくしい). It can also be used metaphorically to describe the impression or feeling something gives off, such as 'the sound of silence'「静けさの音」(しずけさのおと).

    Part Of Speech

    noun

    Kanji JLPT

    N4

    Kanji Grade

    1

    Frequency

    367

    Composition

    kanji

    Handwriting

Kanji in the Word

This word contains 1 kanji character:

  • kanji

    Meaning

    Sound

Words Related to Through the Kanji

These 12 Words contain the Kanji 音 as well.

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What does 'Oto' (音) mean?

'Oto' means 'Sound' .

To help you master this word, here's an interactive lesson where you'll practice its readings and meanings.