How to say "echo" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 反響はんきょうnoun, suru verb, intransitive verbCovers the noun 'echo' as reflected sound, and by extension reactions or responses something causes. Typical contexts are shouting in a large hall or a plan drawing widespread response.
- 響きひびきnounAlso the noun 'echo', but it leans toward the quality or resonance of a sound — a voice's ring, the reverberation of a bell — rather than a single reflected wave.
- nounThe loanword, written in katakana. It is the natural choice for technical contexts such as sonar or audio equipment; for the sound echoing off a canyon wall, 反響 is usually better.
- 響き渡るひびきわたるgodan verb, intransitive verbThe verb for a sound that echoes and spreads until it fills a space, such as music or a voice resounding through a hall. Use this when 'echo' means reverberating far and wide.
- 鳴るなるgodan verb, intransitive verbPrimarily 'to sound' or 'to ring', as when a bell, alarm, or phone goes off. It can render 'echo' in the sense of resounding, but it is seldom the word you want for that; think of it as ringing, not echoing.
For the noun 'echo' use 反響 or 「響き」 (「エコー」 for devices/loanword contexts); for the verb use 「響き渡る」 for sounds echoing through a space, and 「鳴る」 mainly when a bell or alarm rings.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
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