Home › Glossary › Letter J

Japanese verse

Form
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

Traditional short-form poetry originating in Japan, such as haiku or tanka

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
Japanese verse refers to traditional short-form poetry from Japan, primarily haiku (5-7-5 syllables) and tanka (5-7-5-7-7), which emphasize brevity, seasonality (kigo), and a “cutting word” (kireji) to juxtapose images and evoke insight; rooted in Zen aesthetics, it values suggestion over statement and has profoundly influenced global modernist and minimalist poetry.
Example
Example in poetry:
Bashō’s "Old pond / frog jumps in / sound of water"; Issa: "In this world / we walk on the roof of hell / gazing at flowers"; A haiku: "Winter solitude— / in a world of one color / the sound of wind"; A tanka: "My love for you— / deeper than the ocean’s floor, / yet as light / as the foam upon the waves / that break upon the shore"
Additional Notes
Japanese verse refers to traditional short forms like haiku (5-7-5) and tanka (5-7-5-7-7), emphasizing seasonality, brevity, and suggestion; students should study kigo (season words) and kireji (cutting words); avoid Western misconceptions—haiku aren’t just nature poems but moments of insight; linked to "syllable-count verse" but rooted in cultural aesthetics.
Also Known As
haiku tradition tanka form Eastern minimalist lyric Tanka Waka
Skip to main content