An onomatopoeia for noisy, heavy sounds—especially the sound of heavy footsteps or clumsy, pounding movement.
子どもたちが廊下をどたどた走り回っている。
The children are running up and down the corridor noisily.
雪の日に誰かがドアをどたどた閉めた音で目が覚めた。
On a snowy day I woke up to the sound of someone slamming the door noisily.
夜中に荷物を運ぶ音がどたどたして迷惑だった。
The noisy thudding of luggage being moved in the middle of the night was annoying.