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# haiku

noun (a haiku, haiku or haikus)

«haiku» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A haiku is a very short poem that comes from Japan, usually with three lines. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/haiku/#m1)
2. In English lessons, a haiku often has 5 syllables in the first line, 7 in the second and 5 in the third, 17 syllables in all. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/haiku/#m2)
3. A haiku usually paints one small moment, often about nature or a season. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/haiku/#m3)

### In the lessons

In English and poetry lessons pupils count syllables to write a haiku: 5–7–5. It teaches careful word choice, because there is so little space. A haiku often has a "seasonal word" (snow, blossom, leaves) and a surprise or turn at the end. In maths-like puzzles, you may be asked how many syllables a haiku has (17). Phrases: «write a haiku», «haiku about autumn», «5-7-5 pattern».

### Examples

- We wrote a haiku about the first snow. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/haiku/#x1)
- A haiku has three lines and seventeen syllables. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/haiku/#x2)
- Count the syllables on your fingers to check your haiku. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/haiku/#x3)
- Her haiku was about a frog jumping into a pond. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/haiku/#x4)
- Haiku come from Japan. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/haiku/#x5)
- The poet wrote a haiku for every season. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/haiku/#x6)
- My haiku: "Red leaves drift and fall / the wind carries them away / the tree stands alone." [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/haiku/#x7)

### Note

Plural: «haiku» (same as singular) or «haikus»; both are seen. Say it "HIGH-koo". In Japanese the count is of sound units, not English syllables, so the 5–7–5 rule is a school rule for English, and real poets sometimes break it. A haiku does not need to rhyme. Maths: 5 + 7 + 5 = 17 syllables.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «haiku» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/haiku/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«haiku» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/haiku.html) on Mova free.