Hello!
Imagine asking your Japanese friend, "what did you do on the weekend?" and they answer,
*"Uchide bura-bura shita" *
And you've wondered, _bura-bura_? What's he/she been up to? :shock:
Well...Japanese language is FULL of words that come from imitating sounds. In English, there are words like "chit-chat", "bang", and "cuckoo".
Using Onomatopoeia or _Gion-go _ can be very effective and also, very Nihon-jin (Japanese). However, one must use them correctly, for a tiny change in sound can alter the entire meaning of a phrase.
Here are some fun expressions!
Bura-bura suru: just wandering around
Fura-fura suru: weak and dizzy
The Bu and Fu can be quite tricky to differentiate. Just remember *B*ura-bura = *B*reezing and *F*ura-fura = *F*ragility!!
Can you guess what doki-doki means?
Does it "sound" like a heart beat? The Japanese people think so...Doki-doki can be used when you are nervous, such as:
Anata to iru to doki-doki suru! "I get so nervous around you!" - which can also imply "because I like you my heart is beating non-stop!" :oops:
Fura-fura, bura-bura, do you know the difference?

Sayaka-Matsuura
June 10, 2008