詩人(しじん)

A person who writes 詩(し) (poetry). Used for both modern and classical poets, Japanese and foreign.

Etymology

Compound of 詩(し) (poetry) + 人(じん) (person).

RELATED WORDS (literary occupations):

• 作家(さっか): writer, author (general)
• 小説家(しょうせつか): novelist
• 歌人(かじん): waka poet (traditional 31-syllable Japanese poetry)
• 俳人(はいじん): haiku poet
• 劇作家(げきさっか): playwright

CULTURAL NOTE (poetry types):
詩(し) specifically refers to modern free verse or Western-style poetry. Traditional Japanese poetry forms have their own terms: 和歌(わか) (waka), 俳句(はいく) (haiku), 短歌(たんか) (tanka). So a 詩人(しじん) is distinct from a 歌人(かじん) or 俳人(はいじん).

Common patterns

• 詩人(しじん)になる: to become a poet
• 有名(ゆうめい)な詩人(しじん): a famous poet