Haiku
/ˈhaɪ.kuː/noun
A short Japanese poem traditionally consisting of three lines with five, seven, and five syllables.
Did you know?The term haiku was created in the nineteenth century by Masaoka Shiki, who separated the opening stanza from the collaborative linked-verse tradition and made it an independent art form.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Chinese
Middle Chinese
俳 (bǎi)
“Jesting, comic, or theatrical performance; the source of the Japanese element hai.”
Ancient Chinese
Middle Chinese
句 (kù)
“A phrase, line, or verse unit; the source of the Japanese element ku.”
17th Century
Japanese
俳諧 (haikai)
“A playful or comic linked-verse tradition that developed partly in opposition to more formal poetry.”
17th–19th Century
Japanese
発句 (hokku)
“The opening stanza of a linked-verse sequence, traditionally arranged in a 5–7–5 pattern.”
Late 19th Century
Japanese
俳句 (haiku)
“A term promoted by Masaoka Shiki for the formerly independent opening stanza, treated as a self-contained poem.”
Modern English
English
haiku
“A short Japanese-style poem, commonly written in three lines and associated with a 5–7–5 syllable pattern.”