Home › Glossary › Letter H

Haiku break

Device
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

The structural or emotional pause in a haiku, typically marked by a kireji

Explore this topic in depth (1)

Haiku — Haiku is a compact poetic form rooted in Japanese culture, often shaped by an image of the natural world, a seasonal reference, and a meaningful pause or turn. This guide explains how haiku works, how to read it attentively, and how to begin writing your own.

Detailed Definition
Haiku break refers to the strategic pause or caesura—often marked by a cutting word (kireji)—that divides a haiku into two resonant parts, creating tension and interplay between images; this structural hinge is essential to the form’s power, enabling juxtaposition that sparks insight without explicit connection.
Example
Example in poetry:
“Winter solitude— / the world / stripped bare” (break after first line); “Crow on a bare branch— / autumn dusk” (pause at dash); “First snow— / the child’s laugh / echoes” (cut after seasonal reference)
Additional Notes
A haiku break (kire) is the structural and emotional pause created by a cutting word (kireji), dividing the poem into two resonant parts; it generates tension and insight through juxtaposition.
Also Known As
Kire break haiku caesura imagistic cut seasonal pause Kireji
Skip to main content