詩
shi[ɕi]
The Japanese word for poem is 詩 (shi). Wiktionary also lists 詩歌 (shiika).
Meaning: literary piece written in verse (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 詩 | shi | [ɕi] (narrow) |
| 詩歌 | shiika | [ɕiːka̠] (narrow) [ɕika̠] (narrow) |
詩 refers to a literary piece written in verse. To describe a book of poems, or a poetry collection, the term is 詩集 (shishū).
Which one should you use?
While 詩 refers to a specific poem, 詩歌 is a more formal or academic term used to refer to poetry as a genre or a collection of poems. If you are specifically referring to a long-form poem characterized by alternating lines of five and seven syllables, you can use the word 長歌 (chōka).
How do you pronounce it?
shi
Did you know?
- Ancient Japanese poetry often used 'kakekotoba', or pivot words, which function as puns to give one phrase two different meanings simultaneously.
- Japanese poetry often employs a 'cutting word' called kireji, which acts as a form of punctuation to create a pause or emotional emphasis.
- The term 詩歌 is a compound word where the second character, 歌, also means 'song', reflecting the historical connection between poetry and music.
Examples in context
- この詩、いいね。I like this poem.This sentence shows how to express liking a specific poem using 詩.Tatoeba #11851900 by small_snow, translation #10005794 by ddnktr
- 彼は詩を暗記した。He learned the poem by heart.This sentence demonstrates how to say someone learned a poem by heart using 詩.Tatoeba #103861 by bunbuku, translation #290872 by CK
- 彼は詩を覚えていた。He was learning a poem.This sentence illustrates the use of 詩 when describing the act of learning a poem.Tatoeba #105475 by bunbuku, translation #298214 by CK
- 58 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ren and Yui are in a classroom looking at a textbook.
- 蓮 Renこの詩についてどう思う？Kono shi ni tsuite dō omou?What do you think about this poem?
- 結衣 Yuiとても悲しい詩だね。Totemo kanashii shi da ne.It's a very sad poem, isn't it?
- 蓮 Renそうだね。言葉がすごくきれいだ。Sō da ne. Kotoba ga sugoku kirei da.I agree. The words are very beautiful.
- 結衣 Yui私もそう思うよ、蓮くん。Watashi mo sō omou yo, Ren-kun.I think so too, Ren.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “poem” translations and entries 詩, 詩歌, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
