How to choose the right category?

If it's something tangible, it might be in the giongo category or its subcategory. If not, it'll be in the gitaigo category or one of its subcategories.

To give you an idea:

1. giongo includes everything that has a sound source (ie you can hear the sound).
   1. giongo is the category for sound effects. Basically noise.
   2. giseigo for human (hahaha) and animal (pio pio) onomatopoeias. In short, voices.
2. gitaigo includes anything that comes from a soundless source (ie you won't hear any noise here).
   1. gitaigo is the category for the states and actions of inanimate beings.
   2. giyougo to describe states and actions of animate beings.
   3. gijougo for human emotions and feelings.

Onomatopoeia classification

All of the Japanese words for any category have two kanji in common: 擬 at the beginning, meaning "imitate" and 語 at the end, which means "language". As you can see, all of them are "imitate ~ language".

There's two categories: giongo and gitaigo. Inside giongo, you'll find giseigo subcat. In gitaigo, you'll find gijougo and giyougo.

• When combined with する without the と in between, it functions as part of the verb する or as an adverb.
• When combined with a verb other than する, it is likely to be an adverb.

Nature or non-living / Giongo / 擬音語

giongo translated as "imitate sound language" (音 means sound). It can describe any word that sounds like what it is describing.

This category encompasses words that reproduce sounds from the outside world (non-living sounds). Any sound that doesn't come from a person's or animal's mouth goes here. Things like the sound of a thunder or a little rain will be here. In manga this is called sound effects.

Human-living or animal / Giseigo / 擬声語

giseigo translated as "imitate voice language" (声 means voice). Imitates animal and/or human sounds.

This giongo subcategory will have sounds that imitate real-life words (human or animal). Things like "hahaha" or "muuu (cow)" are good examples.

Conditions and moods / Gitaigo / 擬態語

No equivalent in English.

gitaigo translated as "imitate condition language" (態 means condition). This is more abstract and used to describe emotions or facial expressions, textures or manner of action.

This category will be sounds for conditions or states. Used for inanimate objects. Things like "something shiny" or "lots of bright sunlight" go here. It is not intended to resemble sounds because the action, movement, or state does not make sound.

Movement and action / Giyougo / 擬容語 (ぎようご)

No equivalent in English.

giyougo translated as "imitate shape language" (容 means shape). This is a tangible but doesn't describe a sound or action, as it's used to describe body language and things like that.

This gitaigo subcategory is for movement (walking or traveling from one place to another). Used only for living things. Things like "being half asleep and nodding off" or "not having the willpower to do something" come here.

Feelings / Gijougo / 擬情語 (ぎじょうご)

No equivalent in English.

gijougo translated as "imitate emotion language" (情 means emotion). This is something abstract since it doesn't define something tangible, but rather feelings and emotions.

In this gitaigo subcategory you can find emotions. Used only for humans. Things like "throbbing, grinding pain" or "happy, joyfully glad and full of hope" come here.

Onomatopoeia syntax

Function	Example	Translation
Verbal modification	疲れ て ふらふら (と) 歩く	Walking with exhaustion
Nominal modification	疲れ て ふらふらの 人	someone exhausted
Copulative predicate	疲れ て ふらふらだ	be exhausted
Predicative complement	疲れ て ふらふら に なる	Finish exhausted

Classification of Japanese adverbs

There are seven categories:

1. Manner adverb: ゆっくり (slowly), ぐっすり (deeply / used to sleep), じっと (stare), いやい や (reluctantly), びしびし (strictly).
2. Degree adverb: とても (very), もっと (more).
3. Quantity adverb: たくさん (much), ほとんど (almost).
4. Frequency adverb: いつも (always), 時々 (sometimes), 大 抵 (almost always).
5. Time adverb: 今日 (today), 明日 (tomorrow), すぐ (right).
6. Aspect Adverb: もう (Ya), とうとう (Finally), 直ち に (immediately).
7. Sentence Adverb: ぜひ (Without Missing), おそらく (Probably), 多 分 (Maybe), きっと (Safe), 当然 (Naturally).

If we talk about onomatopoeia, we can find four categories: way, result, degree (also includes quantity) and frequency.

Manner onomatopoeia

Explain how the action described by the verb is developed.

In Japanese, almost all onomatopoeia can function as adverbs. Some need the particle と to function as adverb.

あの 人 美人 な のに 、 どう して に じゃら じゃら と 着飾る の かしら
With how beautiful it is, I do not understand why you dress so strident.

身軽 な は 、 通り かかっ た 私 驚かそう と 、 いきなり 松 木 の枝 から ぴょ んと 飛び 、 地面 に すくっと 立っ て 見せ た た た た た た た た た た た た た た た た た た た た た
Saburo, agile as he is and in an attempt to scare me passing through there, suddenly he went out of the branch of a pine and stood on the ground, just in front of me.

Result onomatopoeia

They indicate a state that is a consequence of the action of the verb to which they accompany. They do not refer to sounds, if not to states.

僕 は たち を 遊園 地 に 連れ て て く たく た に た た
I took the children to the amusement park and ended up dusty.

弟 は に 遭っ た らしくびしょびしょ に 濡れ て 帰宅 た た
My brother returned home soaked after being surprised by a shower.

久方 ぶり 大 掃除 を し て 床 を ぴかぴか 磨い た た
I had not done general cleaning for some time and left the ground shining.

Grade onomatopoeia (+ quantity)

In this amount there are many less than in the previous two.

肉 中心 食事 を し て いる 人 は 同時 に 野菜 も たっぷりとら なければなら い い
Those who base their food on meat should also take vegetables in abundance.

田舎 両親 から 大きな 荷物 が 届い た 、 開け て みる と ミカン が どっさり 入っ て い た
I opened the huge package that my parents sent me from the town and I found it full of oranges.

Frequency onomatopoeia

This category is the smallest of the four.

They indicate that the action in question happens again and again.

帰宅 が 近づく と 、 社員 は 壁 かかっ て いる 時計 に ちょい 目 を や る る
As the time is coming home, employees do not stop looking over and over again at the wall.

わから ない があっ たら 、 遠慮 せ ず どしどし 質問 し て ください
If there is something that they do not understand, do not repair to ask all the questions you want.