Japanese word

騒音

Pronunciation

Romajisōon

Meaning

  • nounnoise

Example

工事の騒音が大きいです。kō ji no sō on ga ō ki i de su

The construction noise is loud.

Illustration for 騒音 (noise)

More examples

近所の騒音が夜遅くまで続いています。kin jo no sō on ga yoru oso ku ma de tsuzu i te i ma su

Noise from the neighbors continues late into the night.

Core concept

It describes sound that is too loud or unpleasant to remain a neutral part of the surroundings.

Common phrases

  • 大きな騒音ō ki na sō on

    loud noise

  • 騒音が気になるsō on ga ki ni na ru

    be bothered by noise

  • 騒音を減らすsō on o he ra su

    reduce noise

  • 騒音対策sō on tai saku

    noise control

Similar words

雑音zatsuon: Unwanted sound that interferes with hearing, concentration, or the quiet of a place.
ノイズnoizu: Unwanted sound that makes speech, music, recordings, or signals less clear.
喧騒kensō: A loud mixture of voices and other sounds produced by many people in a busy place.

Definition in Japanese

大きくて不快に感じられる音。ō ki ku te fu kai ni kan ji ra re ru oto

Word origin

The word is formed from the Sino-Japanese readings of 騒 (sō, "uproar") and 音 (on, "sound"), giving 騒音 (sōon) the sense of disturbing sound.

Usage tips

  • Construction sites are a common real-world setting for 騒音 (sōon), and complaints may focus on when the sound occurs as well as how loud it is.

Opposites

Word lists with this word