Translation guide
How to express 'sob' in Japanese, from quiet weeping to loud, uncontrollable crying.
The core meaning of 'sob': crying that involves catching your breath, often with sound.
The most direct equivalent. Describes crying while sniffling and catching your breath, often quietly but audibly.
She was sobbing all through the end of the movie.
Emphasizes the convulsive, gasping nature of sobbing, often used for children or when someone is very upset.
The child sobbed, calling for his mother.
A more literary or emotional term for sobbing, often implying being choked up with tears.
He sobbed with grief.
Describes crying loudly and openly, often with wailing sounds. 'Oioi' is onomatopoeic for the sound of sobbing.
He sobbed loudly as he apologized.
When someone speaks with a sobbing voice, often broken by tears.
Referring to the sound itself, or a single instance of sobbing.
A noun meaning 'sobbing' or 'weeping'. Often used in phrases like 嗚咽をもらす (let out a sob).
She let out a sob.
The noun form of すすり泣く, referring to the act or sound of sobbing.
General term for 'crying voice/sound'. Not specific to sobbing, but can be used when the sound is sobbing-like.
すすり泣く is often quieter, more restrained sobbing, while 泣きじゃくる emphasizes the uncontrollable, gasping aspect. Use 泣きじゃくる for children or extreme distress.
She sobbed quietly.
The child sat on the floor sobbing uncontrollably.
泣く simply means 'to cry'. To convey the specific convulsive, audible nature of sobbing, use one of the compound verbs or phrases above.
He sobbed out the story.
I could hear sobbing from the next room.
赤ちゃんの泣き声が聞こえる。
I can hear a baby sobbing.