Haiku object-word

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

A concrete noun in haiku that carries seasonal connotation and sensory immediacy

Detailed Definition
Haiku object-word is a concrete noun in haiku that serves as the focal image around which seasonal and emotional resonance coalesces—such as “crow,” “moon,” or “bamboo”; chosen for its cultural symbolism and sensory immediacy, the object-word grounds the poem’s brevity in tangible reality while inviting meditative contemplation.
Example
Example in poetry:
“Frog” in Bashō’s famous haiku implies spring; “Mosquitoes” suggest summer evenings; “Moon” often signifies autumn in classical haiku; “Plum blossoms” herald late winter
Additional Notes
Haiku object-words are concrete nouns that carry seasonal connotation (e.g., “frog” = spring); must evoke sensory immediacy; differ from abstract terms; choose objects with cultural resonance in Japanese tradition
Also Known As
Haiku kigo object seasonal noun nature referent concrete season-word Kimo
Skip to main content