詠(よ)む

よむ
verb (godan)
to compose (a poem), to recite
他動詞 transitiveliterarycommunication
See also: 読(よ)む (read)
Conjugation
AffirmativeNegative
Present詠(よ)む詠(よ)まない
Present polite詠(よ)みます詠(よ)みません
Past詠(よ)んだ詠(よ)まなかった
Past polite詠(よ)みました詠(よ)みませんでした
て form詠(よ)んで詠(よ)まなくて
ている present詠(よ)んでいる詠(よ)んでいない
ている polite詠(よ)んでいます詠(よ)んでいません
ている past詠(よ)んでいた詠(よ)んでいなかった
ている past polite詠(よ)んでいました詠(よ)んでいませんでした
Conditional ば詠(よ)めば詠(よ)まなければ
Conditional たら詠(よ)んだら詠(よ)まなかったら
Volitional詠(よ)もう—
Volitional polite詠(よ)みましょう—
Potential詠(よ)める詠(よ)めない
Passive詠(よ)まれる詠(よ)まれない
Causative詠(よ)ませる詠(よ)ませない
Imperative詠(よ)め詠(よ)むな
1. to compose a poem, to write verse
To create a poem, especially traditional Japanese poetry such as waka, tanka, or haiku. This is the primary meaning and is distinct from 読む (to read).
俳句(はいく)を詠(よ)む。
To compose a haiku.
She composed a poem about the changing of the seasons.
The Man'yoshu contains a great many poems composed about love.
2. to recite, to chant (a poem)
To recite or chant a poem aloud, especially in a formal or ceremonial context.
To recite a poem aloud.
歌会(うたかい)で和歌(わか)を詠(よ)む。
To recite waka at a poetry gathering.
The poem composed by the Emperor at the New Year's poetry ceremony was announced.

Common patterns

  • ~を詠(よ)む: to compose/recite (a poem)
  • ~を詠(よ)んだ歌(うた): a poem composed about ~

Common collocations

Similar words

Do not confuse with 読(よ)む (to read). 詠(よ)む specifically means composing or reciting poetry, while 読(よ)む is the general verb for reading. The kanji 詠(えい) combines the 言(ごんべん) radical (speech) with 永(えい) (long), which gives the sound; it is often explained as drawing the voice out long, as when chanting a poem.