also: ぐすん
adverb, adverb taking the 'to' particle
sniffling; sniffing
Mimetic adverb describing the sound of a soft, restrained sniffle, often when holding back tears. Commonly used with と or as an adverbial.
彼女はくすんと鼻を鳴らした。
She sniffled softly.
映画のラストシーンで、隣の人がぐすんと泣き出した。
At the movie's final scene, the person next to me started sniffling.
Katakana form, mainly for search or emphasis.
Onomatopoeic word imitating the sound of a soft sniffle. The voiced variant ぐすん suggests a heavier or more emotional tone.