Translation guide
A traditional Japanese poem of 17 syllables in three lines (5-7-5), often evoking nature or a season.
俳句
haiku
Referring to the 5-7-5 syllable poem itself.
The standard term for a haiku poem. Used in both Japanese and English contexts.
彼は美しい俳句を詠んだ。
He composed a beautiful haiku.
俳句は五・七・五の十七音から成る。
A haiku consists of 17 syllables in a 5-7-5 pattern.
Referring to the practice, art, or world of haiku.
Can also refer to the genre or activity of writing haiku.
俳句を始めてみませんか。
Why not try your hand at haiku?
Historical term for the broader genre of linked verse from which haiku evolved. Rarely used in modern contexts.
In Japanese, haiku are counted in *on* (sound units), not English syllables. A 5-7-5 pattern in Japanese may not match English syllable counting exactly.
Senryū (川柳) also follows 5-7-5 but focuses on human nature and humor, often without a seasonal word (季語, kigo). Haiku traditionally includes a kigo.
俳諧は連歌から発展した。
Haikai developed from renga (linked verse).