3. Feelings: smiles, tears and surprise
Watch on YouTube (Spanish explanations) · Feelings
Look at the heartbeat, face, voice and body. A smile, a laugh and a sudden flinch call for different words.
ドキドキ
Feeling your heart beat fast from nerves or excitement.
みんなの まえで はなします。ドキドキ します。
I feel my heart racing before speaking in front of everyone.
わくわく focuses on eager anticipation. ドキドキ can also happen when you are happy or excited.
Ready when you are
Open the media fileわくわく
Feeling excited about something you are looking forward to.
あしたは りょこうです。わくわく します。
I am excited about tomorrow’s trip.
Here, focus on looking forward to something, rather than the physical heartbeat.
Ready when you are
Open the media fileイライラ
Feeling irritated or impatient when things do not go your way.
バスが きません。イライラ します。
The bus is not coming, and I am getting impatient.
しょんぼり is being downhearted, rather than irritated.
Ready when you are
Open the media fileしょんぼり
Looking sad, disappointed or downhearted.
試合に まけて、しょんぼり して います。
I am downhearted after losing the match.
しくしく involves quiet crying. You can be しょんぼり without crying.
Ready when you are
Open the media fileにこにこ
Smiling happily.
カイトさんが にこにこ して います。
Kaito is smiling happily.
ゲラゲラ describes loud, audible laughter.
Ready when you are
Open the media fileしくしく
Crying softly or sobbing quietly.
ナオミさんが しくしく ないて います。
Naomi is crying quietly.
しょんぼり alone does not tell you whether someone is crying.
Ready when you are
Open the media fileゲラゲラ
Laughing loudly and heartily.
おもしろい 話を きいて、ゲラゲラ わらいました。
I laughed out loud at the funny story.
にこにこ is a smile; ゲラゲラ includes the sound of hearty laughter.
Ready when you are
Open the media fileビクッ
A sudden involuntary flinch or start.
きゅうな おとに、ビクッと しました。
I flinched at the sudden noise.
ドキドキ is a racing heartbeat; ビクッ is a brief physical start.
Ready when you are
Open the media fileTry it
After losing the match, someone looks down silently with slumped shoulders, without crying.
Show the answer
Answer: しょんぼり.
The hiragana and katakana spellings here are presentation choices. Other spellings are possible; a word’s script alone does not determine its meaning.