ドキドキ
dokidoki
doki doki is the Japanese onomatopoeia for the sound of a heart beating fast due to excitement or nervousness.
This phrase describes the sensation of a racing heart caused by various emotions, including excitement, nervousness, anxiety or romantic attraction. It can represent the rhythmic feeling of a heart pounding or throbbing.
Which one should you use?
The standard form ドキドキ describes a continuous rhythmic pounding. In contrast, the shortened form ドキッ (doki) is used to describe a single, sudden thud or a specific moment of being startled.
How do you pronounce it?
dokidoki
Did you know?
- While doki doki describes a racing heart, Japanese has a different word, waku waku, for the positive excitement of anticipation. Using doki doki in a purely positive context can sometimes imply a hint of nervousness or anxiety.
- A person might say doki doki shite iru to describe the physical state of anxiety, using a verb to turn the sound effect into a formal grammatical sentence.
- While English uses 'thump' or 'patter' to describe sounds, Japanese categorizes 'doki doki' as a 'gitaigo', a type of mimetic word that describes a state or feeling rather than just a physical noise.
Examples in context
- 初めてのデートでドキドキします。I feel nervous and excited about our first date.
- 彼にメッセージを送るとドキドキするな。I get all nervous when I send him a message.
- 発表の前はドキドキします。Happyou no mae wa dokidoki shimasu.My heart is pounding before the presentation.
- 告白する時、ドキドキした。Kokuhaku suru toki, dokidoki shita.My heart was racing when I confessed my feelings.
- この映画はドキドキする展開ですね。Kono eiga wa dokidoki suru tenkai desu ne.This movie has a heart-pounding plot, doesn't it?
Example conversation
Ren and Himari are waiting in line for a roller coaster.
- 蓮 Renすごくドキドキするね。Sugoku dokidoki suru ne.I'm so nervous and excited.
- 陽葵 Himari蓮くん、顔が赤いよ。Ren-kun, kao ga akai yo.Ren, your face is red.
- 蓮 Ren緊張してドキドキしているんだ。Kinchoo shite dokidoki shite iru n da.It's because my heart is racing from nervousness.
- 陽葵 Himari私も同じだよ！Watashi mo onaji da yo!I feel the same way!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry ドキドキ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
