音|おとoto[2]odaka (tail-high)

1. nounsound; noise
   ここから海うみの音おとが聞きこえる。↗

   We can hear the ocean from here.
2. noun(musical) note
   彼女かのじょはピアノで高たかい音おとを出だした。↗

   She struck high notes on the piano.
3. nounfameas 音に聞く, 音に聞こえた, etc.

• Synonym音声おんせいWrittenWritten/formal term for the human voice or sounds played by machines, as in 「音声ガイド」; leans technical, unlike the everyday 「音」.
• Synonym響きひびきNeutralNeutral word for a sound's echo or lingering resonance, as in 「鐘の響き」; also the impression a sound gives, which 「音」 does not cover.
• SynonymサウンドNeutralNeutral loanword for sound effects or a musical style, as in 「サウンドトラック」; a media-flavored word rather than the general 「音」.
• Synonym音響おんきょうWrittenWritten/formal term for sound or audio equipment, as in 「音響効果」; technical in flavor, while 「音」 is the everyday word.
• Synonym物音ものおとNeutralNeutral word for noises made by things moving—doors, footsteps—often as 「物音がする」; 「音」 is broader and includes musical sounds.
• SynonymノイズNeutralNeutral loanword for unwanted noise or static, as in 「ノイズが入る」; 「音」 is neutral about whether a sound is wanted.
• SynonymどよめきWrittenWritten/formal word for the stir or commotion of a crowd, as in 「会場にどよめきが起こる」; it names the noise of many people, not sound in general.
• Related声こえNeutralNeutral word for sounds made by people or animals; 「音」 covers all sounds, human-made ones too, but speech and cries normally take 「声」.
• Related調子ちょうしNeutralNeutral word for pitch, high or low, or for one's physical condition, as in 「調子が外れる」; 「音」 is the sound itself, not its pitch.
• Related口調くちょうWrittenWritten/formal word for the tone or manner of speech, as in 「丁寧な口調」; it describes how someone talks, not the sound heard.
• Related音色ねいろNeutralNeutral word for the characteristic timbre of an instrument or voice, as in 「澄んだ音色」; it describes a sound's distinctive colour, where 「音」 just names it.
• Related音質おんしつNeutralNeutral word for the sound quality of equipment or recordings, as in 「音質が悪い」; it rates how good a sound is, unlike 「音」.
• RelatedアクセントNeutralNeutral loanword for word stress or a regional accent, as in 「関西のアクセント」; a feature of pronunciation, not a sound itself.
• RelatedトーンNeutralNeutral loanword for pitch or tone, also for color tone, as in 「声のトーン」; it names a quality of the sound rather than the sound itself.
• Related音調おんちょうWrittenWritten/formal word for the pitch of sounds or the tune of a piece, mostly in music and poetry; literary, where 「音」 is everyday.
• Related語調ごちょうWrittenWritten/formal word for the strength of one's intonation when speaking, as in 「語調を強める」; about delivery, not the sound itself.
• Related調ちょうWrittenRead 「みつぎ」: tribute or taxes, nothing to do with sound; listed only for the variant spelling 「調」. The melody word is 「調（しらべ）」.
• Related声調せいちょうWrittenWritten/formal word for tones in languages such as Chinese, or the tune of a song; a linguistic term, not everyday sound.
• Related語勢ごせいWrittenWritten/formal word for the force or emphasis in one's speech, as in 「語勢を強める」; about vigor of delivery, not sound itself.
• Antonym静寂せいじゃくWrittenWritten/formal antonym of 「音」: deep stillness and quiet, with a literary flavor.
• Antonym無音むおんWrittenWritten/formal antonym of 「音」: the absence of sound, as in 「無音状態」.

Default to 「音」 for any sound an object makes. Use 「声」 for human or animal voices, 「響き」 for echoes and resonance, 「物音」 for noises around you, 「ノイズ」 for static and unwanted noise, 「口調」 for tone of speech, and 「無音」 for silence. 「音声」 and 「音響」 are written, technical terms for recorded voice and audio equipment, 「サウンド」 covers media sound, 「音色」 describes timbre while 「音質」 rates sound quality, and 「アクセント」 and 「トーン」 name pitch or stress. 「静寂」 is a literary word for deep quiet; 「貢ぎ」 is unrelated—only a spelling overlap.

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

1. （おと）空気くうきや水みず等とうの物質ぶっしつを介かいして伝つたわる振動しんどうで、人ひとの耳みみに達たっして感覚かんかく（聴覚ちょうかく）を生しょうずるもの。