WordValehaiku
a Japanese three-line poem of seventeen syllables
In more detail
1. (noun) a short poem with three lines, written in a special form with 5 syllables in the first line, 7 in the second, and 5 in the third
2. (noun) this style of poetry, which originally came from Japan and often describes nature or a moment in time
Examples
- She wrote a haiku about a frog jumping into a pond.
- Haiku is a traditional Japanese form of poetry.
How to use haiku
Haiku is used to refer both to the specific poetic form (5-7-5 syllable structure) and to the Japanese literary tradition from which it originates. It is commonly used in educational contexts when teaching poetry and in literary discussions. The term has been adopted into English and is now standard when discussing this style of poem.
Common phrases
- write a haiku
- haiku poem
- haiku tradition
- haiku master
- Japanese haiku
Synonyms
poem · verse · short poem
Word family
haiku (noun) · haikus (plural)
A common mistake
Learners sometimes treat haiku as a verb (e.g., 'I will haiku about nature') when it is only a noun; they should use phrases like 'write a haiku' or 'compose a haiku' instead.
Save this word in WordVale and it comes back for review right before you'd forget it — with pronunciation, real examples, and optional translations. One purchase, no subscription.
Get WordValeFREE 7-DAY TRIAL · iPHONE & iPAD