Lettering guide
Comic Book Sound Effects List: 143+ Onomatopoeia for Comics, Manga and Webtoons
By the Panelo team · Updated
Quick answer
Comic sound effects (SFX) are onomatopoeia drawn into the art: POW and WHAM for punches, BOOM and KABOOM for explosions, WHOOSH and ZOOM for speed, SPLASH for water, BA-DUMP for a heartbeat. Manga uses Japanese SFX such as ドン (don) for a dramatic impact and ゴゴゴ (gogogo) for menace.
Punches, hits and fights
| Sound | Use it for |
|---|---|
| POW | A clean punch landing; the classic |
| BAM | A heavy hit or a door slammed open |
| WHAM | A big, wide impact: body into wall, fist into table |
| KAPOW | An extra-strong POW for the finishing blow |
| BIFF | A quick, light punch, often comic |
| THWACK | A stick, bat or tail striking something |
| SMACK | A slap or a flat hit |
| CRACK | Something hard breaking: a bone, a board, ice |
| THUD | A dull, heavy landing; someone falling over |
| WHUMP | A soft heavy landing, like into snow or a sofa |
| BONK | A light, funny hit on the head |
| SOCK | A punch to the jaw, old-school style |
| CLANG | Metal hitting metal: swords, pipes, armour |
| KRAK | A sharp break with more violence than CRACK |
| OOF | The sound someone makes when hit in the stomach |
Explosions, crashes and fire
| Sound | Use it for |
|---|---|
| BOOM | An explosion, thunder or a big landing |
| KABOOM | A bigger explosion; draw the letters breaking apart |
| KA-BLAM | A blast with a sharp crack at the start |
| CRASH | Something smashing through glass, a wall or a crowd |
| CRUNCH | A car crumpling, or a slow heavy collapse |
| RUMBLE | The ground shaking before something big arrives |
| FWOOSH | Fire bursting into flame, or a dragon's breath |
| CRACKLE | A small fire, sparks, or electricity |
| SIZZLE | Something hot touching water, or a fuse burning |
| KRAKA-THOOM | Thunder right overhead |
Speed and movement
| Sound | Use it for |
|---|---|
| WHOOSH | Something flying past fast |
| ZOOM | A vehicle or hero racing away |
| SWISH | A cape, a skirt, a sword cutting air |
| ZIP | A very quick movement, or a zipper |
| WHIZ | A small object flying by: an arrow, a ball |
| SHOOM | Teleporting, or a sudden smooth rush |
| VROOM | An engine revving |
| SCREECH | Tyres or brakes; also a bird or a scream |
| SKRRT | A car skidding round a corner |
| FWIP | A rope, a whip or a quick flip |
| TAP TAP TAP | Light, fast footsteps |
| STOMP | Heavy, angry footsteps; a giant walking |
Weapons, tech and machines
| Sound | Use it for |
|---|---|
| BANG | A gunshot or a loud single bang |
| BLAM | A heavier gunshot |
| RAT-A-TAT | Rapid fire, or knocking quickly |
| PEW PEW | Lasers and blasters, often playful |
| ZAP | An energy beam, an electric shock |
| BZZT | Electricity shorting out, a broken robot |
| SHING | A blade being drawn or glinting |
| THUNK | An arrow or knife hitting wood |
| CLICK | A switch, a lock, a trigger, a camera |
| CHK-CHK | A gun or machine being loaded |
| BEEP | Electronics, a timer, a robot |
| WHIRR | A motor spinning up, a drone |
| CLANK | Heavy machinery, a robot walking |
| HUMMM | A force field, a power core, a lightsaber-style glow |
Water and weather
| Sound | Use it for |
|---|---|
| SPLASH | Jumping or falling into water |
| SPLOOSH | A big, soft splash |
| SPLAT | Something wet hitting a surface: a pie, mud, paint |
| DRIP | A single drop; use for tension in a quiet panel |
| PLOP | Something small dropping into water |
| GLUG GLUG | Pouring, drinking, or sinking |
| PITTER-PATTER | Light rain |
| WHOOOO | Wind howling |
| CRASH | A wave breaking on rocks |
| SQUELCH | Stepping in mud |
Body and voice
| Sound | Use it for |
|---|---|
| GULP | Swallowing nervously |
| GASP | Surprise or shock |
| SIGH | Tired, sad or relieved |
| ZZZ | Sleeping |
| YAWN | Sleepy or bored |
| ACHOO | A sneeze |
| HIC | Hiccups, often after a scare |
| SNIFF | Smelling something, or holding back tears |
| SOB | Crying |
| GRR | Anger, or a growl |
| HMPH | Annoyed, sulking |
| SHH | Asking for quiet |
| CHOMP | A big bite |
| MUNCH | Eating happily |
| SLURP | Drinking noisily, noodles |
| BURP | Comic relief after a big meal |
| SMOOCH | A kiss |
| GIGGLE | Small, happy laugh |
| BA-DUMP | A heartbeat: nerves, love, fear |
Everyday sounds
| Sound | Use it for |
|---|---|
| KNOCK KNOCK | Someone at the door |
| DING DONG | A doorbell |
| RING RING | A phone |
| CREAK | A door opening slowly; spooky |
| SLAM | A door shut hard |
| TICK TOCK | A clock; time running out |
| POP | A balloon, a cork, a bubble |
| RIP | Paper or cloth tearing |
| SQUEAK | A mouse, a shoe, a toy |
| RUSTLE | Leaves, paper, someone hiding in a bush |
| THUMP | Something heavy dropped |
| DING | An idea, a microwave, a correct answer |
| TA-DA | A reveal |
Animals
| Sound | Use it for |
|---|---|
| WOOF | A dog barking |
| MEOW | A cat |
| ROAR | A lion, a dinosaur, a monster |
| HISS | A snake or an angry cat |
| TWEET | A bird |
| BUZZ | A bee or a fly |
| MOO | A cow |
| NEIGH | A horse |
| QUACK | A duck |
| RIBBIT | A frog |
| SQUAWK | A parrot or a startled bird |
| HOOT | An owl |
Japanese manga sound effects
Manga sound effects are written in katakana or hiragana and are often drawn huge, as part of the art. Many describe a feeling or a situation rather than a noise, which is why there is a sound for silence (シーン) and one for staring (ジー). Translators either replace them with English or keep the original and add a small translation beside it.
| SFX | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ドン | don | A dramatic impact or entrance; the 'here I am' beat |
| ゴゴゴ | gogogo | Menacing rumble: tension, a powerful aura, trouble coming |
| ドドド | dododo | Rushing, stampeding, an overwhelming presence |
| ドキドキ | doki doki | Heartbeat: nervous, excited or in love |
| シーン | shiin | Silence. Yes, manga has a sound for no sound |
| キラキラ | kira kira | Sparkle and shine |
| ザワザワ | zawa zawa | A crowd murmuring; unease |
| バン | ban | A bang, a slam, a gunshot |
| ドカン | dokan | An explosion or a heavy crash |
| バキッ | baki | A crack: a punch connecting, something snapping |
| シュッ | shu | A swift, sharp movement |
| ピカッ | pika | A flash of light |
| ガーン | gaan | Shock and dismay, like a gong in the head |
| ジー | jii | Staring intently |
| ニコニコ | niko niko | Smiling happily |
| ワクワク | waku waku | Excited anticipation |
| イライラ | ira ira | Irritation |
| パチパチ | pachi pachi | Clapping, or crackling sparks |
| ゴロゴロ | goro goro | Thunder rumbling; also lazing around |
| ザー | zaa | Heavy rain |
| フワフワ | fuwa fuwa | Fluffy, floating |
| ゴクッ | goku | A gulp |
Korean manhwa sound effects
Manhwa and webtoons letter sound effects in Hangul, often in colour and with glow or motion blur, layered over the art. English editions frequently redraw them in English in the same style.
| SFX | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 쾅 | kwang | A bang or crash |
| 콰광 | kwagwang | A huge explosion or crash |
| 쿵 | kung | A heavy thud |
| 두근두근 | dugeun dugeun | Heartbeat: nervous or in love |
| 휙 | hwik | A quick whoosh, a sudden turn |
| 스윽 | seueuk | A smooth, stealthy slide |
| 번쩍 | beonjjeok | A flash of light |
| 철컥 | cheolkeok | A metallic click or clank |
| 쨍그랑 | jjaenggeurang | Glass shattering |
| 우르릉 | ureureung | Thunder rumbling |
| 부들부들 | budeul budeul | Trembling, usually with anger |
| 꿀꺽 | kkulkkeok | A gulp |
| 반짝반짝 | banjjak banjjak | Twinkling |
| 띵동 | ttingdong | A doorbell |
| 짜잔 | jjajan | Ta-da! |
| 쉿 | swit | Shh |
How to letter sound effects that look professional
- Size is volume. A whisper-quiet DRIP is small; a KABOOM can fill half the panel. Keep it consistent across the page.
- Shape is the sound. Jagged letters for explosions, wobbly letters for jelly or fear, stretched letters for speed, letters that shrink as they get further away for something passing.
- Angle it. Straight horizontal SFX look typed. Tilt it along the motion: up for a jump, diagonal for a punch.
- Outline it. A thick outline (often white, then black) keeps the effect readable over busy art.
- Break the frame. Letting a big effect cross a panel border makes it feel louder.
- Don't overdo it. One strong effect per beat. If every panel shouts, nothing does.
- Never put SFX in a speech bubble. Bubbles are for voices. A grunt from a character can go in a bubble; a crash cannot.
Panelo letters sound effects automatically in the style of each format: halftone bursts for western comics, hand-drawn katakana for manga and glowing Hangul-style effects for manhwa.
Frequently asked questions
What are sound effects in comics called?
Usually SFX (short for sound effects) or onomatopoeia: words that imitate the sound they describe, like BOOM or SPLASH.
What is the most famous comic sound effect?
POW, together with BAM, WHAM and ZAP, made famous by 1960s superhero comics and TV.
What does ゴゴゴ mean in manga?
ゴゴゴ (gogogo) is a menacing rumble. It signals tension, a powerful aura or that something threatening is about to happen.
What does ドン mean in manga?
ドン (don) is a heavy impact or a dramatic entrance, the beat when a character appears or a reveal lands.
Should sound effects go in speech bubbles?
No. Sound effects are drawn into the art. Speech bubbles are for what characters say.
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