ハラハラ hara hara (en) - matsumurae/onomatodict-jp GitHub Wiki

Sound here. Video here.

1. Falling petals, leaves, snow…
2. Feeling of anxiety due to a sense of danger. Seeing a dangerous situation and worrying that something bad or difficult may happen.

• Type: Gijougo (擬情語)
• Category: Feeling.
• Equivalent: fluttering; nervous.
• Source:
  • https://nihongokyoshi-net.com/2021/04/21/onomatopoeiaa-harahara/
  • https://nihon5-bunka.net/onomatopoeia-harahara/

Usage

桜の花びらが〜（と）舞い落ちた
the cherry petals fluttered to the ground.

涙が〜（と）落ちた
tears poured down (the child's cheeks).

後れ毛が〜（と）乱れかかった
loose hair was scattered around.

〜する
be nervous; be on tenterhooks; be on needles and pins.

Examples

サーカスの綱渡りを見ていて、とてもハラハラしました
I was nervously watching the tightrope walk in the circus.

花びらがハラハラと散る
Petals are falling down.