Meaning:
1. out of breath, out of energy
2. be in a state of misery because of a sexual encounter

Usage Example:
町内を走り回った叔父さんはあへあへと息を切らしていた。 (My uncle was out of breath from running around town.)

Meaning:
to wait or stand around with a blank look on one’s face, play/mischief with no clear reason

Usage Example:
男は仕事をせず、趣味もなく、ただあふらあふらと遊ぶばかりだった。 (The guy doesn’t work, has no hobbies but just plays around.)

Variations:
アフラアフラ

Notes:
used predominantly in and around Tokyo (東京の方言)

Meaning:
1. to open and close mouth, to struggle for air in water (similar to appu appu – あっぷあっぷ)
2. the voice or sound of a happy baby that is just starting to talk
2. to be afraid, feel chilly, fearful

Usage Example:
1. 海水を大量に飲み込み、その人はあぶあぶともがいた。 (That person struggled from drinking huge amounts of sea water.)
2. 嬉しそうな顔をした赤ん坊が、あぶあぶと言葉にならない声を漏らした。 (The happy looking baby made a sound words can’t describe.)

Meaning:
laugh loudly

Usage Example:
仄ほのかに酒の匂いのする彼は、あははと嬉しそうに笑った。 (With a slight smell of alcohol he looked happy and laughed ahaha.)

Variations:
アッハッハ, あっはっは

Meaning:
flustered, hastily, hurried

Usage Example:
「そんなにあばちゃばするなよ」と先輩はコーヒーに砂糖を溶かしながら言った。 (“Don’t get all flustered,” he said as he put sugar in his coffee.)

Notes:
used predominantly in and around Yamanashi prefecture (山梨の方言)

Meaning:
bye-bye

Usage Example:
お婆ちゃんは最後に孫を抱き、満面の笑みで「あばあばねえ」と言った。 (Grandmother smiled and said aba aba as she gave her grandson a last hug.)

Notes:
baby talk for the word abayo which means “bye” (「あばよ」の幼児語)

Meaning:
to laugh without reservation, the sound of laughter

Usage Example:
転んで怪我をした私を見て、彼はあはあはと遠慮なく笑った。 (Without reserve, he laughed when he saw me fall and hurt myself.)

Meaning:
be inconsistent, illogical, not make sense

Usage Example:
「あっぺとっぺじゃねえか」と課長は部下に怒鳴り散らした。 (The manager got angry at his staff yelling “that doesn’t make any sense now does it?!”)

Notes:
used predominantly in and around Miyagi prefecture (宮城の方言)

Meaning:
1. gasp for air, on the verge of drowning
2. struggle, be in a difficult situation, on the brink of bankruptcy

Usage Example:
1. 潮の流れが速く、泳ぐことのできない彼女はあっぷあっぷしていた。 (The tide was fast and she was struggling because she does not know how to swim.)
2. 自転車操業に陥り、資金繰りもままならない経営陣はあっぷあっぷしている。 (The management is struggling with finances as operations struggle.)

Meaning:
sound a female makes when expressing sexual pleasure or appeal

Usage Example:
腰に手を回して引き寄せると、彼女は息を荒くし「あっはん」と声を漏らした。 (When I wrapped my arm around her waist she was breathing hard and let out a ahhan sound.)

Variations:
アッハン