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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
A natural image in haiku that implicitly signals the season and grounds the poem in temporal reality
Explore this topic in depth (2)
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.
Tanka
— Tanka is a short Japanese poem traditionally patterned 5–7–5–7–7, though its units are morae rather than English syllables. Its small scale can hold a striking movement: from scene to feeling, statement to response, or one image to another.
Detailed Definition
Haiku nature term refers to a kigo (seasonal reference) embedded in haiku to anchor the poem in a specific time of year through natural phenomena—like cherry blossoms for spring or snow for winter; this convention connects human experience to cyclical rhythms of the natural world, evoking mood and cultural associations with minimal, precise imagery.
Example
Example in poetry:
“Cherry blossoms” signal spring in Japanese haiku; “Cicadas” indicate summer heat; “Geese flying south” denote autumn; “Snow” or “bare branches” mark winter
Additional Notes
Haiku nature terms (kigo) anchor poems in seasonal reality; essential to traditional haiku; include plants, animals, weather; study Japanese saijiki (seasonal almanacs) for authentic usage; avoid vague or non-seasonal references