What’s the Difference Between “Waku Waku” and “Sowa Sowa” in Japanese?

Have you ever been so excited about something that you could hardly wait?

Or felt so nervous or expectant that you just couldn’t sit still?

In Japanese, these two restless feelings are expressed with different sounds:

Waku Waku (わくわく)

あわせて読みたい

What Does “Waku Waku” Mean in Japanese? The Onomatopoeia for Excitement and Anticipation That feeling when your heart beats faster, your smile grows, and you just can’t wait for what’s next —that’s the essence of “Waku Waku” (わくわく), one of th…

Sowa Sowa (そわそわ)

あわせて読みたい

What Is “Sowa Sowa”? The Japanese Feeling of Restless Excitement Have you ever waited for exciting news and found it impossible to sit still? Or felt nervous before an important event, constantly looking around or checking…

They can both happen while waiting for something, but the emotion behind the restlessness is quite different.

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Differences Between “Waku Waku” and “Sowa Sowa”

In short:

• Waku waku → excited about what is coming
• Sowa sowa → too restless to settle down

Examples in Daily Life

Example 1: Excited about a present (Waku Waku)

She looked at the big present in front of her,
imagining what might be inside —

waku waku…

Example 2: Restless about a present (Sowa Sowa)

She sat in front of the present, wondering when she could finally open it,
too restless to relax —

sowa sowa…

Try Using Them!

Can’t wait to open a present because you’re excited?
→ Say waku waku

Waiting for something and feeling too restless to settle down?
→ Say sowa sowa

Both can make your heart restless —
but one feels exciting, while the other makes it hard to relax!

Explore More: Comparison Series