ごろごろいう
gorogoro iu
To purr in Japanese is to say ごろごろいう (gorogoro iu). Wiktionary also lists 鳴く (naku).
Meaning: of a cat, to make a vibrating sound in the throat (verb)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| ごろごろいう | gorogoro iu | |
| 鳴く | naku | [na̠kɯ̟] (narrow) |
The phrase is used to describe a cat making a vibrating sound in its throat. You can use the continuous form ゴロゴロしている or the standard ごろごろいう to describe a cat that is currently purring.
What does it mean word for word?
The onomatopoeic part ごろごろ mimics a low, rumbling or rolling sound.
Which one should you use?
While ごろごろいう specifically describes the vibrating purr, 鳴く is a general verb for any animal making a vocalization, such as a cat meowing.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
gorogoro iu
Did you know?
- In Japanese, the same onomatopoeia ごろごろ can be used to describe a person 'lounging around' or being idle at home.
- Because ごろごろ is so versatile, a cat's purr can be described using a word that also mimics the sound of thunder rolling in the distance.
- The verb 鳴く shares the same linguistic root as the word for 'to cry' or 'to weep', which is 泣く.
Examples in context
- 猫はごろごろと甘い音を立てました。The cat purred with a sweet sound.
- 撫でると、猫がごろごろいう。Naderu to, neko ga gorogoroiu.When I pet it, the cat purrs.
Example conversation
Yota and Misaki are petting a cat together.
- 陽太 Yotaこの猫ちゃん、すごくごろごろいうね。kono neko-chan, sugoku gorogoro iu ne.This kitty is purring a lot, isn't it?
- 美咲 Misaki本当に。気持ちいいのがわかるね。hontou ni. kimochi ii no ga wakaru ne.It really is. You can tell it feels good.
- 陽太 Yota美咲さんが撫でるのが好きみたいだ。Misaki-san ga naderu no ga suki mitai da.It seems to like it when you pet it, Misaki.
- 美咲 Misaki私もこの音が大好きだよ。watashi mo kono oto ga daisuki da yo.I love this sound too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “purr” translations and entries 鳴く, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 鳴く, CC BY-SA 4.0.
