Translation guide
The English word 'murmur' covers a range of low, soft, often indistinct sounds made by people or things. In Japanese, the best choice depends on what is producing the sound and the context: a person speaking softly/complaining, a crowd's background noise, a flowing stream, or a medical heart murmur.
To say something in a low, quiet, or barely audible voice, often not meant to be heard clearly.
To mutter or murmur something to oneself or in a low voice. Often used for quiet, introspective speech or when complaining under one's breath.
He murmured something.
"I'm so tired," she murmured.
To whisper. Implies a very quiet voice, often secretive or intimate. Closer to 'whisper' than a general murmur.
He murmured words of love into her ear.
To say in a low voice. A straightforward phrase for speaking quietly without the nuance of muttering or whispering.
He murmured a complaint under his breath.
To mutter or murmur in a low, indistinct way, often implying the speaker is hard to understand or is talking to themselves.
He was murmuring something indistinctly.
To express discontent or annoyance in a low voice, often not meant to be directly confrontational.
To grumble or mutter complaints. Very common for expressing dissatisfaction under one's breath.
He's always murmuring complaints about something.
The customer was murmuring about the price.
To complain. More direct than murmuring, but can be used with '小声で' (in a low voice) to convey a murmured complaint.
He murmured his complaints quietly.
A low, continuous, soothing sound made by nature, like a stream or breeze.
The murmuring sound of a shallow stream or brook. A specific and poetic term.
I can hear the murmur of the brook.
A rustling, murmuring, or buzzing sound, often from leaves, a crowd, or a low continuous noise.
To make a soft rustling or murmuring sound, like leaves or a gentle stream.
The low, continuous sound of many people talking quietly at once.
A murmuring or buzzing noise from a crowd. Often used for an unsettled or excited atmosphere.
A murmur spread through the venue.
A stir, commotion, or murmur of surprise/excitement from a crowd. Slightly louder than a quiet murmur.
A murmur arose from the audience at his entrance.
The sound of people talking. A neutral description for background murmur.
An abnormal sound heard during a heartbeat, often indicating a valve problem.
呟く (tsubuyaku) is for muttering to oneself or quietly, often introspective. 囁く (sasayaku) is whispering, usually to someone else, with a secretive or intimate tone. ぶつぶつ言う (butsubutsu iu) is grumbling or complaining under one's breath, often with a negative connotation.
He murmured to himself.
She whispered the secret.
He was murmuring complaints about work.
English 'murmur' for water or wind often translates to specific onomatopoeic or mimetic words in Japanese (e.g., せせらぎ, ざわめき). Using a generic verb like 'つぶやく' for a stream would sound unnatural.
the murmur of a brook
風のざわめきが森の中に響いていた。
The murmur of the wind echoed through the forest.
The leaves were murmuring in the wind.
The murmur of people's voices filled the café.
A heart murmur was detected during the checkup.