1.
five-seven meter; 5-7 syllable rhythm
A rhythmic pattern in Japanese poetry where lines alternate between five and seven morae (syllable units). This meter forms the foundation of traditional Japanese verse forms including tanka and haiku.
俳句は五七調に基づいている。
Haiku is based on the five-seven meter.
日本語のリズムには五七調が自然に感じられる。
The five-seven rhythm feels natural in the Japanese language.
万葉集の歌の多くは五七調で詠まれており、日本文学の基本的なリズムとなっている。
Many poems in the Man'yoshu are composed in five-seven meter, which has become a fundamental rhythm of Japanese literature.
A compound of 五 (five), 七 (seven), and 調 (rhythm, meter). The five-seven pattern is deeply embedded in Japanese prosody. It appears not only in classical poetry but also in modern slogans, proverbs, and song lyrics.
POETIC FORMS USING THIS METER:
- 俳句: 5-7-5 morae
- 短歌: 5-7-5-7-7 morae
- 川柳: 5-7-5 morae (humorous)
- 都々逸: 7-7-7-5 morae (popular song form)
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 五七調のリズム: five-seven rhythm
- 五七調で詠む: to compose in five-seven meter
- 五七調に乗せる: to set to five-seven meter
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 七五調: seven-five meter — the reverse pattern, starting with seven morae; has a more flowing, prose-like feel
- 韻律: meter, prosody — the general concept of rhythmic patterns in verse
- 定型: fixed form — the concept of standardized poetic structures