Japanese meaning of ざわざわ

Meaning:

Describes a state of restless murmuring, uneasy commotion, or nervous tension in a crowd.

Cultural Context:

“Zawazawa” is a Japanese onomatopoeia that captures the feeling of nervous murmuring or unsettled commotion, especially among groups of people. It is famous from the manga "Tobaku Mokushiroku Kaiji," where repeated “zawa…zawa…” heightens tension and signals something ominous or extraordinary is about to happen. This word vividly evokes group anxiety and is now almost synonymous with suspense in Japanese pop culture.

人々が落ち着かず、ざわめいている様子や、不安や緊張感が高まっている状態を表します。
「ざわざわ」は人々の不安や緊張が高まる時、会場などでざわめきが広がる状況を表す擬音語です。特に漫画『賭博黙示録カイジ』で「ざわ…ざわ…」と繰り返し使われ、緊迫感や異様な雰囲気を演出する効果音として広まりました。日常でも大勢の人がざわついている時などに用いられます。