Why is it お[腹]{なか}が[空]{す}いた but [腹]{はら}[減]{へ}った?


Is there any particular reason why the noun おなか goes with verb すく while the
noun はら goes with the verb へる? Would it be weird if I use おなかへった or はらすいた?

While on the same topic, does the 'starving' onomatopoeia ペコペコ go with both
おなか and はら?




Besides the phrases being idiomatic (fixed), there is a slight difference in
the meaning of these words.

[code]

    お腹 (onaka) means stomach, although it can also mean belly
    腹 (hara) means belly
    
[/code]

You can also tell this from the fact that the pronunciation for `お腹` (onaka)
is related to `中` (naka) 'inside', which implicates stomach. Therefore, even
with the same predicate, they mean different things:

[code]

    お腹が痛い 'my stomach hurts' means stomach ache caused by eating too much or poisoned food
    腹が痛い 'my belly hurts' means laughing to death, (in addition to the meaning above)
    
[/code]

In the case in the question, `空く` 'become empty' goes well with stomach rather
than belly. `へる` 'lose volume' goes well with belly rather than with stomach
(stomach is just a wall).




Besides the phrases being idiomatic (fixed), there is a slight difference in
the meaning of these words.

[code]

    お腹 (onaka) means stomach, although it can also mean belly
    腹 (hara) means belly
    
[/code]

You can also tell this from the fact that the pronunciation for `お腹` (onaka)
is related to `中` (naka) 'inside', which implicates stomach. Therefore, even
with the same predicate, they mean different things:

[code]

    お腹が痛い 'my stomach hurts' means stomach ache caused by eating too much or poisoned food
    腹が痛い 'my belly hurts' means laughing to death, (in addition to the meaning above)
    
[/code]

In the case in the question, `空く` 'become empty' goes well with stomach rather
than belly. `へる` 'lose volume' goes well with belly rather than with stomach
(stomach is just a wall).

