What Is “Shiku Shiku”? The Japanese Sound of Quiet, Lingering Pain or Soft Crying

08/07/2025

Ever felt a dull stomachache that just won’t go away?
Or cried alone, quietly, with tears slowly falling?

That’s when the Japanese onomatopoeia “Shiku Shiku” comes in — a sound of soft, subdued, and lingering pain or sadness.

Table of Contents

What is “Shiku Shiku” (しくしく) ?

“Shiku Shiku” is a Japanese onomatopoeia that expresses quiet, continuous pain — either physical or emotional.
It’s not sharp or loud.

It’s the kind that slowly wears on you — like a stomachache, a toothache, or a broken heart.

It’s also commonly used to describe gentle sobbing — the kind of crying where you don’t wail, but tears fall and your chest aches.

Pronunciation

shee-koo shee-koo
(Say it softly, like a whisper… long and slow — just like the feeling)

Examples in Daily Life

Example 1: Crying softly at night

She pulled the blanket over her head,
hoping no one would hear her tears —
shiku shiku…

Example 2: A stomachache that won’t go away

He sat holding his belly,
the pain dull but constant —
shiku shiku…

Cultural Note

In English, we might say:

“She sobbed quietly.”
“He had a dull ache.”
“It was a lingering pain.”

But in Japanese, “shiku shiku” paints a more sensory image — it feels like the sound of quiet pain or tears.
You’ll see it often in manga, anime, or everyday conversation.

How Do You Say It?

Whisper it gently, almost like a sigh:
Shiku… shiku…

It echoes the kind of sadness or discomfort that sits silently with you.

What Does “Shiku Shiku” Look Like?

It looks like a child clutching a stuffed toy, eyes wet with tears.
Like someone curled on the couch with a blanket, holding their stomach.
Like a gray sky with soft, falling rain.