How to say "rumble" in Japanese

• 鳴るなるJLPT N4approx.Common
  godan verb, intransitive verbThe common, all-purpose verb for a sound occurring: to ring, resound, or echo. Its 'rumble' sense is the neutral one, as of thunder; for bells, alarms, and telephones, this is the expected verb.
  電話でんわは繰り返くりかえし鳴なっていた。↗

  The telephone rang repeatedly.
• 轟きとどろき
  nounA noun: a loud rumbling, roaring, or booming sound, as of thunder or engines. Less common than 鳴る, it is the choice when English 'rumble' is a thing rather than an action.
• 轟くとどろく
  godan verb, intransitive verbThe verb counterpart of 轟き: to rumble, roar, or boom. Less common than 鳴る, it fits a powerful, resounding rumble, as of thunder, where plainer 鳴る would lose the force.
  雷鳴らいめいがとどろいた。↗

  The thunder roared.

As a verb, plain 'rumble' in the sense of sounding or resounding is the common 「鳴る」; a loud, thunderous rumble calls for the less common 「轟く」; for the noun, use 「轟き」.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 鳴るなるto sound
• 轟きとどろきroar
• 轟くとどろくto roar
• ごろつくto rumble (of thunder, one's stomach, etc.)