ザーザー

雨あめがザーザー降ふるfor rain to pour down heavily
外そとは雨あめがザーザー降ふっている。
It's pouring rain outside.
テレビがザーザー(と)鳴なるfor a TV to make a static/white-noise sound
アンテナの調ちょう子しが悪わるくてテレビがザーザー鳴なっている。
The TV is buzzing with static because the antenna isn't working well.
〈場ば所しょ〉にザーザー流ながれるto flow/rush noisily (of water) at a place
雨あま水みずが排はい水すい溝こうにザーザー流ながれている。
Rainwater is rushing noisily into the drain.
ラジオがザーザーいうfor a radio to produce static noise
電でん波ぱが悪わるくてラジオがザーザーいっている。
The radio is full of static because the signal is bad.

Related words

じゃあじゃあ sense 1
ザーザー and じゃあじゃあ both describe a strong, noisy flow of water, but じゃあじゃあ is used more for water gushing from a tap or pipe than for rain.
ごうごうN1sense 1
ザーザー is the typical sound of heavy rain or rushing water, while ごうごう describes a deeper roaring sound more often used for wind, fire, or engines.

Opposites

しとしとN1sense 1
ザーザー describes rain falling hard and loudly, while しとしと describes rain falling softly and quietly.
ポツリポツリN1
ポツリポツリ describes rain falling as a few scattered drops, while ざあざあ describes rain pouring down heavily and continuously.
ぱらぱらN1
ざあざあ describes heavy, pouring rain, the opposite of the light, sporadic sprinkling described by ぱらぱら.

Don't confuse with

ざらざらN1
ザーザー (heavy rain/static sound) and ザラザラ (rough, gritty texture) look and sound similar in katakana but describe completely unrelated sensations.

Word family

ザーザー降ぶり
downpour; drenching rain

Written forms

ザーザーUsage50%
Katakana spelling is common for onomatopoeia; this is a primary reading.
ざあざあUsage33%
Alternate hiragana spelling with long vowel written as あ; less common but still used.
ザアザアUsage17%
ざーざー
Hiragana variant; also common in casual writing.

Etymology

Onomatopoeic word mimicking the sound of heavy rain or rushing water. The repetition of ざー (zaa) with a long vowel emphasizes the continuous, loud nature of the sound.