和歌(わか)

和歌(わか) literally means 'Japanese song/poem' (和(わ) = Japanese, 歌(か) = song). It refers to traditional Japanese poetry as distinct from 漢詩(かんし) (Chinese poetry).

FORMS:

• 短歌(たんか) (5-7-5-7-7): the most common form, often simply called 和歌(わか)
• 長歌(ちょうか): longer poems with alternating 5-7 mora patterns

FAMOUS COLLECTIONS:

• 万葉集(まんようしゅう): oldest anthology (8th century)
• 古今和歌集(こきんわかしゅう): compiled 905 CE
• 百人一首(ひゃくにんいっしゅ): 100 famous poems, still used in card games

COMMON EXPRESSIONS:

• 和歌(わか)を詠(よ)む: to compose a waka poem
• 和歌(わか)集(しゅう): waka anthology

Note: 俳句(はいく) (haiku, 5-7-5) developed later as a separate genre and is not classified as 和歌(わか).