Meanings of びょうびょう


Can びょうびょう be used to mean the sound of a strong wind? Or does it mean
"boundless; limitless; vast; broad" wind?

> びょうびょうと風が、耳元でうなった




The びょうびょう you're referring to as "boundless" is [渺渺]{びょうびょう}, usually used as
-たる form (形容動詞).

In this context, the word is an onomatopoeia for the howling sound of the wind
(note that it has nothing to do with 渺渺). As @ganbare says, びゅうびゅう is much
more commonly used for the sound of wind, but such variations are fairly
common in onomatopoeic expressions. I feel that びょうびょう sounds more harsh than
びゅうびゅう, but it's probably just me.

びょうびょう/びよびよ for the sound of the howling sound of a dog (as @stack reader
refers to) is an archaic usage and is mostly extinct today.

