Translation guide
The English word "shrill" describes a high-pitched, piercing, and often unpleasant sound. In Japanese, there are several ways to express this, depending on the source of the sound (voice, instrument, whistle, etc.) and the nuance (unpleasant, loud, sharp). This guide covers common adjectives, onomatopoeia, and descriptive phrases.
Describing a sound that is high, sharp, and often unpleasant to the ears.
An i-adjective meaning high-pitched and piercing. It is the most direct and common translation for "shrill" and can be used for voices, sounds, and musical instruments.
Her voice is shrill.
I heard a shrill whistle sound.
A na-adjective meaning harsh or grating to the ear. It emphasizes the unpleasantness of the sound.
That alarm has a shrill sound.
Literally "metal-cutting voice," this phrase specifically describes a very shrill, piercing voice, often associated with screaming or shrieking.
She screamed in a shrill voice.
An i-adjective describing a loud, piercing, and often alarming sound, like a siren or a sudden scream. It implies a sense of urgency or disturbance.
I was woken up by the shrill sound of a siren.
Specifically describing a person's voice or a cry that is high-pitched and piercing.
Literally "yellow voice," this is a common idiom for the high-pitched, excited screams of fans (especially female fans) at concerts or events. It is not necessarily negative, but it is shrill.
When the idol appeared, shrill cheers erupted from the audience.
A noun meaning a shriek or scream. It is often used for shrill cries of fear or surprise.
Onomatopoeia for high-pitched screaming or squealing, often used for excited or frightened shrieks.
Describing the high-pitched sound of a whistle, alarm, or musical instrument.
Onomatopoeia for a high-pitched beeping or whistling sound, like a referee's whistle or an electronic alarm.
The whistle blew shrilly.
Onomatopoeia for a high-pitched ringing or whining sound, like tinnitus or a microphone feedback.
甲高い (kandakai) is a neutral descriptor of pitch, while 耳障りな (mimizawari na) explicitly means unpleasant to the ear. Use 甲高い when you just want to say the sound is high and piercing; use 耳障りな when you want to emphasize that it's grating or annoying.
English often uses 'shrill' as an adverb (e.g., 'the phone rang shrilly'). In Japanese, you usually use an onomatopoeia or adverbial form of an adjective (e.g., 甲高く (kandakaku)) instead of a direct adverb translation.
She let out a shrill scream.
子供たちがプールでキャーキャー騒いでいる。
The children are making shrill noises in the pool.
A shrill noise came from the speaker.