音の
oto no
The English word "sonic" can be translated into Japanese as 音の (oto no) or 音響の.
Meaning: of or relating to sound (adj)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 音の | oto no |
| 音響の | onkyō no |
The phrase 音の is the most common way to describe something as being "of sound" or "sonic" in a general, non-technical way (e.g., 'the sound of a bell').
What does it mean word for word?
The form 音の is constructed by combining the noun 音 (sound) with the possessive/modifying particle の (of).
Which one should you use?
While 音の refers to sound in a general sense, 音響の is used specifically in technical, scientific or professional contexts relating to acoustics and sound systems.
How do you pronounce it?
oto no
Did you know?
- Japanese uses the word 音 (oto) in the phrase 音を立てる (oto o tateru), which literally means to 'stand up a sound'. This is the standard way to say someone is making noise.
- Japanese has a unique word 音色 (neiro), which literally means 'sound color', used to describe the specific timbre or characteristic of a voice or instrument.
- There is a distinction between the physical sound you hear, called 音 (oto), and the aesthetic or musical quality of that sound, which is referred to as 音 (ne).
Examples in context
- ソニックは速い！Sonic is fast!
- 音の響きがとても綺麗です。oto no hibiki ga totemo kirei desu.The sound resonance is very beautiful.
- これは音のテストです。kore wa oto no tesuto desu.This is a sound test.
- 音の伝わり方を学びます。oto no tsutawarikata o manabimasu.I will learn how sound travels.
Example conversation
Yota and Misaki are discussing a science project.
- 美咲 Misaki陽太、音の速さについて知ってる？Yōta, oto no hayasa ni tsuite shitteru?Yota, do you know about the speed of sound?
- 陽太 Yotaうん、秒速三百四十メートルくらいだよね。un, byōsoku sanbyaku yonjū mētoru kurai da yo ne.Yeah, it's about 340 meters per second, right?
- 美咲 Misaki正解！じゃあ、音の壁を突破する飛行機は？seikai! jā, oto no kabe o toppa suru hikōki wa?Correct! Then, what about planes that break the sound barrier?
- 陽太 Yotaそれは超音速飛行って言うんだよ。sore wa chō-onsoku hikō tte iu nda yo.That's called supersonic flight.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sonic” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
