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Tanka

Form
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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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 traditional Japanese lyric poem of five lines with a 5-7-5-7-7 syllabic structure, often expressing nature, emotion, or a seasonal moment.

Detailed Definition
Tanka is a classical Japanese five-line form with a 5-7-5-7-7 syllabic structure, traditionally expressing a moment of emotional insight or seasonal awareness; it extends the haiku by adding two reflective lines that deepen personal or philosophical resonance.
Example
Example in poetry:
Tanka: Ono no Komachi: "Was it that I went to sleep / Thinking of him? / He came in my dream— / Now I cannot sleep for longing"; Modern example: "Tanka Diary" by Sanford Goldstein; Contemporary: "rain on the roof / my cat’s purr vibrates / through my chest— / this small warmth / is enough" (Michael Dylan Welch); Traditional 5-7-5-7-7 syllabic form
Additional Notes
Five-line Japanese form: 5-7-5-7-7 syllables. Longer than haiku, often includes emotional turn. Traditional themes: love, seasons, nature. Study classical and modern examples for range.
Also Known As
Five-line poem waka extension Japanese verse 31-syllable poem Japanese court verse Waka
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