がなる

• Reading: がなる
• Romaji: ganaru
• Pronunciation: /ɡa.na.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To yell; to shout in a harsh, grating voice; to bellow; to bark at someone.

A Group 1 (godan) verb typically written in hiragana, reflecting its onomatopoeic character. The sound evoked is harsh, grating, and unpleasant — unlike 叫ぶ (to scream or shout), which can be neutral or expressive of positive emotion, がなる specifically implies an ugly or aggressive shout. Often describes someone bellowing orders or complaints. The intensified form がなり立てる means to shout repeatedly without restraint.

Examples

1. 怒り狂った客がカウンターでがなり続け、周囲の客が凍りついた。 An enraged customer kept bellowing at the counter, freezing everyone around them.
2. 深夜に外からがなる声が聞こえ、なかなか寝付けなかった。 A bellowing voice from outside late at night made it impossible to fall asleep.
3. マイクを通してがなるような声で命令されるのは、聞いていて不快だった。 Being barked at through a microphone in that grating voice was thoroughly unpleasant to listen to.

Usage Guide

Context: conflict, daily life, negative behaviour, description

Tone: negative

Origin & History

An onomatopoeic-derived verb capturing the harsh, grating quality of a loud, aggressive shout. Its phonetic shape mirrors the rough, forced-out sound of such a voice.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: All classes