haiku

See also: Appendix:Variations of "haiku"

English

WOTD – 23 October 2009

Etymology

Borrowed from Japanese 俳(はい)句(く) (haiku), from Middle Chinese 俳 (beaj, “paralleled [writing]”) + 句 (kɨo^H, “line”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈhaɪkuː/
• (US) IPA^(key): /haɪˈku/, /ˈhaɪku/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aɪkuː, -uː

Noun

haiku (plural haiku or haikus)

1. A Japanese poem in three lines, the first and last consisting of five morae, and the second consisting of seven morae, usually with an emphasis on the season or a naturalistic theme.
   • 2009 January 25, Colin Moynihan, “A Project Documents Inauguration Day, in Washington and Across the Globe”, in The New York Times‎^[2], archived from the original on 26 November 2022:

     Some of the results resemble haikus.

2. A three-line poem in any language, with five syllables in the first and last lines and seven syllables in the second, usually with an emphasis on the season or a naturalistic theme.

   Haiku, a poem

   five beats, then seven, then five

   ends as it began.

Synonyms

• hokku

Derived terms

• haikuish
• haikuist
• haikulike
• limeraiku
• mathemaku
• pseudohaiku

Related terms

• haikai

Translations

Japanese poem of a specific form

• Arabic: هَايْكُو m (haykū)
• Chinese:

  Cantonese: 俳句 (paai⁴ geoi³)

  Mandarin: 俳句 (zh) (páijù)

• Danish: haiku n or c
• Esperanto: hajko
• Finnish: haiku (fi)
• French: haïku (fr) m
• Georgian: ჰაიკუ (haiḳu)
• German: Haiku (de) n
• Gujarati: હાઇકુ (hāiku), સત્તરાક્ષરી (sattarākṣarī)
• Hebrew: הַיְקוּ / הייקו m or f (haykú)
• Hindi: हाइकु m (hāiku)
• Icelandic: hæka f
• Ido: haiko
• Indonesian: haiku (id)
• Japanese: 俳句 (ja) (はいく, haiku)
• Korean: 하이쿠 (haiku)
• Lithuanian: haiku m
• Malay: haiku (ms)
• Marathi: हाइकु f (hāiku)
• Norwegian: haiku m
• Polish: haiku (pl) n
• Portuguese: haiku (pt) m, haicai (pt) m
• Russian: ха́йку (ru) n (xájku), хо́кку (ru) n (xókku)
• Spanish: haiku (es) m, haikú (es) m
• Swedish: haiku (sv) c
• Tagalog: hayku
• Turkish: haiku
• Ukrainian: ха́йку (uk) n (xájku)

poem of similar structure

• Arabic: هَايْكُو m (haykū)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 俳句 (zh) (páijù)

• Danish: haiku n or c
• Esperanto: hajko
• Finnish: haiku (fi)
• French: haïku (fr) m
• Georgian: ჰაიკუ (haiḳu)
• German: Haiku (de) n
• Hindi: हाइकु m (hāiku)
• Icelandic: hæka f
• Indonesian: haiku (id)
• Japanese: 俳句 (ja) (はいく, haiku)
• Korean: 하이쿠 (haiku)
• Malay: haiku (ms)
• Marathi: हाइकु f (hāiku)
• Norwegian: haiku m
• Polish: haiku (pl) n
• Portuguese: haiku (pt) m, haicai (pt) m
• Russian: ха́йку (ru) n (xájku), хо́кку (ru) n (xókku)

See also

• senryū: a short humorous poem similar to the haiku

Anagrams

• Ukiah

Catalan

Pronunciation

• Audio (Barcelona):

  (file)

Noun

haiku

1. a haiku

Cebuano

Etymology

From English haiku, from Japanese 俳(はい)句(く) (haiku), from Middle Chinese 俳 (bˠɛi, “paralleled [writing]”) + 句 (kɨo^H, “line”).

Noun

haiku

1. a haiku

Anagrams

• kuhai

Finnish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈhɑi̯ku/, [ˈhɑ̝i̯ku]
• Rhymes: -ɑiku
• Syllabification^(key): hai‧ku
• Hyphenation^(key): hai‧ku

Etymology 1

From dialectal haika +‎ -u, from Proto-Finnic *haika; cognates include Estonian haige (~ haikea) and furthermore also Lule Sami suoikē.

Noun

haiku

1. (usually in the plural) puff, whiff (act of inhaling tobacco smoke)
2. puff, whiff, puff of smoke, whiff of smoke (small quantity of smoke in the air)

   Ilmassa on vähän haikua.

   There's a whiff of smoke in the air.

3. (poetic) smoke

   Tänne ihminen katoaa huomaamattomaksi, kuin tuo nuotion mitätön haiku iltataivaalle.

   Here a man vanishes into nothingness, like that tiny strand of smoke from the campfire to the evening sky.

Declension

Inflection of haiku (Kotus type 1*D/valo, k–∅ gradation)
nominative		haiku	haiut
genitive		haiun	haikujen
partitive		haikua	haikuja
illative		haikuun	haikuihin
		singular	plural
nominative		haiku	haiut
accusative	nom.	haiku	haiut
	gen.	haiun
genitive		haiun	haikujen
partitive		haikua	haikuja
inessive		haiussa	haiuissa
elative		haiusta	haiuista
illative		haikuun	haikuihin
adessive		haiulla	haiuilla
ablative		haiulta	haiuilta
allative		haiulle	haiuille
essive		haikuna	haikuina
translative		haiuksi	haiuiksi
abessive		haiutta	haiuitta
instructive		—	haiuin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of haiku (Kotus type 1*D/valo, k–∅ gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative haikuni haikuni accusative nom. haikuni haikuni gen. haikuni genitive haikuni haikujeni partitive haikuani haikujani inessive haiussani haiuissani elative haiustani haiuistani illative haikuuni haikuihini adessive haiullani haiuillani ablative haiultani haiuiltani allative haiulleni haiuilleni essive haikunani haikuinani translative haiukseni haiuikseni abessive haiuttani haiuittani instructive — — comitative — haikuineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative haikusi haikusi accusative nom. haikusi haikusi gen. haikusi genitive haikusi haikujesi partitive haikuasi haikujasi inessive haiussasi haiuissasi elative haiustasi haiuistasi illative haikuusi haikuihisi adessive haiullasi haiuillasi ablative haiultasi haiuiltasi allative haiullesi haiuillesi essive haikunasi haikuinasi translative haiuksesi haiuiksesi abessive haiuttasi haiuittasi instructive — — comitative — haikuinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative haikumme haikumme accusative nom. haikumme haikumme gen. haikumme genitive haikumme haikujemme partitive haikuamme haikujamme inessive haiussamme haiuissamme elative haiustamme haiuistamme illative haikuumme haikuihimme adessive haiullamme haiuillamme ablative haiultamme haiuiltamme allative haiullemme haiuillemme essive haikunamme haikuinamme translative haiuksemme haiuiksemme abessive haiuttamme haiuittamme instructive — — comitative — haikuinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative haikunne haikunne accusative nom. haikunne haikunne gen. haikunne genitive haikunne haikujenne partitive haikuanne haikujanne inessive haiussanne haiuissanne elative haiustanne haiuistanne illative haikuunne haikuihinne adessive haiullanne haiuillanne ablative haiultanne haiuiltanne allative haiullenne haiuillenne essive haikunanne haikuinanne translative haiuksenne haiuiksenne abessive haiuttanne haiuittanne instructive — — comitative — haikuinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative haikunsa haikunsa accusative nom. haikunsa haikunsa gen. haikunsa genitive haikunsa haikujensa partitive haikuaan haikuansa haikujaan haikujansa inessive haiussaan haiussansa haiuissaan haiuissansa elative haiustaan haiustansa haiuistaan haiuistansa illative haikuunsa haikuihinsa adessive haiullaan haiullansa haiuillaan haiuillansa ablative haiultaan haiultansa haiuiltaan haiuiltansa allative haiulleen haiullensa haiuilleen haiuillensa essive haikunaan haikunansa haikuinaan haikuinansa translative haiukseen haiuksensa haiuikseen haiuiksensa abessive haiuttaan haiuttansa haiuittaan haiuittansa instructive — — comitative — haikuineen haikuinensa

Synonyms

• savu, savut

Related terms

• haikea

Further reading

• “1. haiku”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎^[3] (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 1 July 2023

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Japanese 俳(はい)句(く) (haiku).

Noun

haiku

1. A haiku (type of Japanese poem; any poem written in haiku style).

Declension

Inflection of haiku (Kotus type 1/valo, no gradation)
nominative		haiku	haikut
genitive		haikun	haikujen
partitive		haikua	haikuja
illative		haikuun	haikuihin
		singular	plural
nominative		haiku	haikut
accusative	nom.	haiku	haikut
	gen.	haikun
genitive		haikun	haikujen
partitive		haikua	haikuja
inessive		haikussa	haikuissa
elative		haikusta	haikuista
illative		haikuun	haikuihin
adessive		haikulla	haikuilla
ablative		haikulta	haikuilta
allative		haikulle	haikuille
essive		haikuna	haikuina
translative		haikuksi	haikuiksi
abessive		haikutta	haikuitta
instructive		—	haikuin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of haiku (Kotus type 1/valo, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative haikuni haikuni accusative nom. haikuni haikuni gen. haikuni genitive haikuni haikujeni partitive haikuani haikujani inessive haikussani haikuissani elative haikustani haikuistani illative haikuuni haikuihini adessive haikullani haikuillani ablative haikultani haikuiltani allative haikulleni haikuilleni essive haikunani haikuinani translative haikukseni haikuikseni abessive haikuttani haikuittani instructive — — comitative — haikuineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative haikusi haikusi accusative nom. haikusi haikusi gen. haikusi genitive haikusi haikujesi partitive haikuasi haikujasi inessive haikussasi haikuissasi elative haikustasi haikuistasi illative haikuusi haikuihisi adessive haikullasi haikuillasi ablative haikultasi haikuiltasi allative haikullesi haikuillesi essive haikunasi haikuinasi translative haikuksesi haikuiksesi abessive haikuttasi haikuittasi instructive — — comitative — haikuinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative haikumme haikumme accusative nom. haikumme haikumme gen. haikumme genitive haikumme haikujemme partitive haikuamme haikujamme inessive haikussamme haikuissamme elative haikustamme haikuistamme illative haikuumme haikuihimme adessive haikullamme haikuillamme ablative haikultamme haikuiltamme allative haikullemme haikuillemme essive haikunamme haikuinamme translative haikuksemme haikuiksemme abessive haikuttamme haikuittamme instructive — — comitative — haikuinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative haikunne haikunne accusative nom. haikunne haikunne gen. haikunne genitive haikunne haikujenne partitive haikuanne haikujanne inessive haikussanne haikuissanne elative haikustanne haikuistanne illative haikuunne haikuihinne adessive haikullanne haikuillanne ablative haikultanne haikuiltanne allative haikullenne haikuillenne essive haikunanne haikuinanne translative haikuksenne haikuiksenne abessive haikuttanne haikuittanne instructive — — comitative — haikuinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative haikunsa haikunsa accusative nom. haikunsa haikunsa gen. haikunsa genitive haikunsa haikujensa partitive haikuaan haikuansa haikujaan haikujansa inessive haikussaan haikussansa haikuissaan haikuissansa elative haikustaan haikustansa haikuistaan haikuistansa illative haikuunsa haikuihinsa adessive haikullaan haikullansa haikuillaan haikuillansa ablative haikultaan haikultansa haikuiltaan haikuiltansa allative haikulleen haikullensa haikuilleen haikuillensa essive haikunaan haikunansa haikuinaan haikuinansa translative haikukseen haikuksensa haikuikseen haikuiksensa abessive haikuttaan haikuttansa haikuittaan haikuittansa instructive — — comitative — haikuineen haikuinensa

Further reading

• “2. haiku”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎^[4] (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 1 July 2023

Anagrams

• hauki, hiuka, kuhia, uhkia

French

Noun

haiku m (plural haikus)

1. alternative spelling of haïku

Hungarian

Etymology

From Japanese 俳(はい)句(く) (haiku).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈhɒjiku]
• Hyphenation: ha‧i‧ku
• Rhymes: -ku

Noun

haiku (plural haikuk)

1. haiku (a Japanese form of poetry consisting of seventeen syllables: five for the first line, seven for the second, and five for the third)

Declension

Inflection (stem in long/high vowel, back harmony)

	singular	plural
nominative	haiku	haikuk
accusative	haikut	haikukat
dative	haikunak	haikuknak
instrumental	haikuval	haikukkal
causal-final	haikuért	haikukért
translative	haikuvá	haikukká
terminative	haikuig	haikukig
essive-formal	haikuként	haikukként
essive-modal	—	—
inessive	haikuban	haikukban
superessive	haikun	haikukon
adessive	haikunál	haikuknál
illative	haikuba	haikukba
sublative	haikura	haikukra
allative	haikuhoz	haikukhoz
elative	haikuból	haikukból
delative	haikuról	haikukról
ablative	haikutól	haikuktól
non-attributive possessive – singular	haikué	haikuké
non-attributive possessive – plural	haikuéi	haikukéi

Possessive forms of haiku

possessor	single possession	multiple possessions
1st person sing.	haikum	haikuim
2nd person sing.	haikud	haikuid
3rd person sing.	haikuja	haikui
1st person plural	haikunk	haikuink
2nd person plural	haikutok	haikuitok
3rd person plural	haikujuk	haikuik

Indonesian

Etymology

Borrowed from Japanese 俳(はい)句(く) (haiku), from Middle Chinese 俳 (bˠɛi, “paralleled [writing]”) + 句 (kɨo^H, “line”).

Pronunciation

• (Standard Indonesian) IPA^(key): /ˈhai̯ku/ [ˈhai̯.ku]
• Rhymes: -ai̯ku
• Syllabification: hai‧ku

Noun

haiku (plural haiku-haiku)

1. haiku

Further reading

• “haiku”, in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia [Great Dictionary of the Indonesian Language] (in Indonesian), Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016

Italian

Etymology

Borrowed from Japanese 俳(はい)句(く) (haiku).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ajˈku/^*
• Rhymes: -u

Noun

haiku m (invariable)

1. haiku

Japanese

Romanization

haiku

1. Rōmaji transcription of はいく
2. Rōmaji transcription of ハイク

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

Ultimately borrowed from Japanese 俳(はい)句(く) (haiku).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈhɑɪ̯.kʉ/

Noun

haiku m or n (definite singular haikuen or haikuet, indefinite plural haiku, definite plural haikuene)

1. (poetry) a haiku
   • 1999 May 10, Klassekampen, page 15:

     Det opprinnelige haikuet er japansk

     The original haiku is Japanese

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

Ultimately borrowed from Japanese 俳(はい)句(く) (haiku).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈhɑɪ̯.kʉ/

Noun

haiku m or n (definite singular haikuen or haikuet, indefinite plural haikuar or haiku, definite plural haikuane or haikua)

1. (poetry) a haiku
   • 2000 April 3, Klassekampen, page 14:

     der finst ikkje så mange ord i eit haiku

     there aren't that many words in a haiku

   • 1998, Hadle Oftedal Andersen, editor, Poesiens pil, [Oslo]: Cappelen, page 170:

     Paal-Helge Haugen sette om japanske haikuar til norsk[.]

     Paal-Helge Haugen translated Japanese haikus into Norwegian.

Polish

haiku

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /xaˈi.ku/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -iku
• Syllabification: ha‧i‧ku

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Japanese 俳句.

Noun

haiku n (indeclinable)

1. (poetry) haiku (Japanese poem in three lines, the first and last consisting of five morae, and the second consisting of seven morae, usually with an emphasis on the season or a naturalistic theme)
2. (poetry) haiku (three-line poem in any language, with five syllables in the first and last lines and seven syllables in the second, usually with an emphasis on the season or a naturalistic theme)

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Noun

haiku m inan

1. genitive singular of haik

Further reading

• “haiku”, in Polish dictionaries at PWN‎^[5] (in Polish)
• haiku in PWN's encyclopedia

Portuguese

Noun

haiku m (plural haikus)

1. (poetry) haiku (type of poem used in Japanese poetry)

Further reading

• “haiku”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French haïku, from Japanese 俳(はい)句(く) (haiku).

Noun

haiku n (plural haikuuri)

1. haiku

Declension

	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative-accusative	haiku	haikul	haikuuri	haikuurile
genitive-dative	haiku	haikului	haikuuri	haikuurilor
vocative	haikule		haikuurilor

Spanish

Alternative forms

• haikú

Etymology

Borrowed from English haiku, from Japanese 俳(はい)句(く) (haiku).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈaiku/ [ˈai̯.ku]
  • Syllabification: hai‧ku
• IPA^(key): /ˈxaiku/ [ˈxai̯.ku]
• Rhymes: -aiku

Noun

haiku m (plural haikus)

1. haiku

Further reading

• “haiku”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025