How to say "sob" in Japanese

• 泣き声なきごえCommon
  nounThe noun for the sound itself: a baby's cry or sob, a whine. Use it when 'sob' means the audible noise rather than the act of crying; it is not a verb.
  病気びょうきの子こどもの痛いたましい泣き声なきごえを聞きくのは我々われわれには耐たえられなかった。↗

  We could not bear to listen to the sick child's pathetic cries.
• 泣きじゃくるなきじゃくるCommon
  godan verb, intransitive verbThe verb for sobbing that goes on and on: crying without stopping. Use it when 'sob' implies sustained, repeated sobbing rather than shedding tears once or briefly.
  寝室しんしつに入はいるや否いなや、彼女かのじょは泣なきじゃくり出だした。↗

  On entering the bedroom, she started sobbing.
• 泣くなくJLPT N4approx.Common
  godan verb, intransitive verbThe general verb 'to cry': shedding tears or weeping. 'Sob' is only one of its senses, so it covers crying of any kind and does not specifically emphasize sobbing.
  ビルは何時間なんじかんも泣なき続つづけた。↗

  Bill kept on crying for hours.

Use 「泣き声」 for the sound of sobbing (a noun), 「泣きじゃくる」 for sobbing that goes on and on, and 「泣く」 for crying in general, where 'sob' is only one sense among several.

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

• 泣き声なきごえcry (e.g. of a baby)
• 泣きじゃくるなきじゃくるto sob
• 泣くなくto cry
• すすり泣くすすりなくto sob
• むせび泣くむせびなくto sob
• すすり泣きすすりなきsobbing
• しくしく泣くしくしくなくto cry softly
• 哭くなくto cry (noisily)
• すすり上げるすすりあげるto sob