泡
[a̠β̞a̠]
The Japanese word for bubbles is 泡.
泡 refers to small globes of gas that form in a liquid. In informal contexts, you may encounter the onomatopoeic term Puchi puchi (ぷちぷち), which is used to describe the specific sound and sensation of popping bubbles.
Did you know?
- In Japanese, the phrase 泡を吹く means 'to foam at the mouth', but it is often used figuratively to describe someone being utterly shocked or overwhelmed.
- The word 泡 appears in the Nihon Shoki, a chronicle completed in 720 CE, making it one of the oldest recorded words in the language.
- The term バブル (bubble) refers specifically to the 'bubble economy' of the late 1980s, a period of extreme financial speculation in Japan.
Examples in context
- 石鹸の泡が目に入りました。sekken no awa ga me ni hairimashita.Soap bubbles got in my eyes.
- 炭酸飲料の中に泡が見えます。tansan inryou no naka ni awa ga miemasu.I can see bubbles in the carbonated drink.
- お風呂の泡がふわふわしています。ofuro no awa ga fuwafuwa shiteimasu.The bath bubbles are fluffy.
Example conversation
Yui and Kenta are washing dishes together.
- 結衣 Yui健太、泡がたくさんついてるよ。Kenta, awa ga takusan tsuite iru yo.Kenta, there are lots of bubbles on there.
- 健太 Kenta本当だ。洗いすぎたかな。Hontō da. Araisugita kana.You're right. Maybe I used too much soap.
- 結衣 Yuiしっかりすすいでね。Shikkari susuide ne.Make sure to rinse it well.
- 健太 Kentaわかった。すぐにするよ。Wakatta. Sugu ni suru yo.I got it. I'll do it right away.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 泡, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 泡, CC BY-SA 4.0.
