わはは
wahaha
The English phrase "hehe" can be expressed in Japanese using わはは (wahaha). Wiktionary also lists あはは (ahaha).
Meaning: sound of a giggle (intj)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| わはは | wahaha |
| あはは | ahaha |
These terms are onomatopoeic expressions used to represent the sound of a giggle.
Which one should you use?
わはは implies a louder, more boisterous laugh. In contrast, あはは is a more standard, lighter laugh. For a mischievous or teasing laugh, you would use へへ, while うふふ is a playful expression used to represent hehe in Japanese.
How do you pronounce it?
wahaha
Did you know?
- In digital communication, Japanese speakers often use the character w to represent laughter. This comes from the word warau meaning 'to laugh' and is used similarly to 'lol' in English.
- Japanese onomatopoeia like わはは are often categorized as 'giseigo' (mimicking sounds) or 'gitaigo' (mimicking states/feelings), meaning your laugh is treated as a physical state of being.
- While 'hehe' in English sounds light, the written form へへ in Japanese can sometimes convey a slightly creepy or sinister laugh in certain contexts, such as a character with bad intentions.
Examples in context
- Ufufu, sore wa taisetsu na omoide desu. (うふふ、それは大切な思い出です。)Hehe, that's a precious memory.
- Ore no saigo no nakama wa… hehe. (俺の最後の仲間は… へへ。)My final comrade is… hehe.
Example conversation
Hiroto and Himari are talking about a funny mistake.
- 大翔 Hiroto見て、この写真すごく変な顔してるよ。Mite, kono shashin sugoku hen na kao shiteru yo.Look, you're making such a weird face in this photo.
- 陽葵 Himariわはは！消してよ！Wahaha! Keshite yo!Hahaha! Please delete it!
- 大翔 Hirotoダメだよ、いい思い出になるから。Dame dayo, ii omoide ni naru kara.No way, it'll be a great memory.
- 陽葵 Himariもう、大翔は意地悪だね。Mō, Hiroto wa ijiwaru da ne.Geez, Hiroto, you're so mean.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hehe” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
