Have you ever bitten into something hard and crunchy with a strong, rough sound?
Or scratched your head vigorously, moving your fingers again and again?
That’s when the Japanese onomatopoeia “Bori Bori” (ぼりぼり) comes in — a sound that captures both vigorous crunching and rough, repeated scratching.
Before we dive in, hear what it sounds like!
What is “Bori Bori” (ぼりぼり)?
“Bori Bori” is a Japanese onomatopoeia that describes:
- Crunching vigorously — biting into something hard or crunchy with a strong, rough sound.
- Scratching roughly — repeatedly scratching your head, skin, or another surface with some force.
Compared with the lighter pori pori (ぽりぽり), bori bori tends to sound stronger, rougher, and more forceful.
Pronunciation
boh-ree boh-ree
(Say it with a stronger, heavier rhythm — as if you were crunching through something hard.)
Category
Sound
What Does “Bori Bori” Look Like?
It looks like someone biting energetically into a hard, crunchy snack.
Like someone vigorously scratching their head.
Like strong, repeated movements that almost let you hear the rough sound.
How Do You Say It?
Say it with strong, repeated beats:
Bori… bori…
Like a rough crunch or vigorous scratch:
Bori bori…
Examples in Daily Life
Example 1: Crunching a hard snack
He grabbed a handful of hard, crunchy snacks and bit into them energetically.
The rough crunching sound continued —
bori bori…
Example 2: Scratching his head
He scratched his head vigorously,
his fingers moving roughly again and again —
bori bori…
Cultural Note
In English, we might say:
- “Crunch crunch.”
- “Munching.”
- “Scratching vigorously.”
But “bori bori” gives these actions a particularly rough, repeated sound-and-feel image.
It is closely related to “pori pori” (ぽりぽり), but the voiced b sound gives bori bori a heavier and more forceful impression.
Watch & Feel the “Bori Bori” World!
Feel the “Bori Bori” — Senbei
Try Using It!
When you bite vigorously into something hard and crunchy…
When you scratch your head with strong, repeated movements…
Say it with a little more force:
Bori bori〜
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