騒音

• Reading: そうおん
• Romaji: souon
• Kanji breakdown: 騒 (sou) — noisy, commotion; 音 (on) — sound
• Pronunciation: /so.ɯ.o.n/

Meaning

Noise; din; racket. Unwanted or unpleasant sound, especially in an environmental context.

A noun specifically referring to unwanted, disturbing sound — distinct from 音 (oto, neutral sound). Commonly used in legal, environmental, and residential contexts. Appears in compounds like 騒音問題 (souon mondai, noise problem) and 騒音規制 (souon kisei, noise regulation).

Examples

1. 隣の工事の騒音がひどくて眠れない。 The noise from the construction next door is so bad I can't sleep.
2. 騒音を減らすために窓を二重にした。 I installed double-pane windows to reduce the noise.
3. 空港の近くは飛行機の騒音が問題だ。 Near the airport, airplane noise is a real problem.

Usage Guide

Context: urban life, housing, environment

Tone: negative

Origin & History

Composed of 騒 (sou, noisy/commotion) and 音 (on, sound). The character 騒 contains the horse radical 馬, evoking the clamour of restless horses.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal