韻を踏む

• Reading: いんをふむ
• Romaji: in wo fumu
• Kanji breakdown: 韻 (in) — rhyme, sound | 踏 (fu/tō) — to tread, to follow
• Pronunciation: /iɴ.o.ɸɯ.mɯ/

Meaning

To rhyme; to use rhyme. To compose words or lines so that their endings share similar sounds.

A set expression (慣用句) functioning as a verb phrase. 踏む (to step on, to follow) is used figuratively to mean 'to follow a prescribed sound pattern' — as if treading in a poet's footsteps. The phrase applies to poetry, rap lyrics, advertising copy, and any text where sound patterning is deliberate. The opposite, 韻が合わない (the rhyme doesn't work), highlights when this patterning fails. More formal alternatives include 押韻する.

Examples

1. この詩は各連の末尾で韻を踏んでおり、朗読すると心地よいリズムが生まれる。 This poem rhymes at the end of each stanza, creating a pleasing rhythm when read aloud.
2. ラップの歌詞は巧みに韻を踏むことで独特のビートと一体感を生み出す。 Rap lyrics generate a sense of unity with the beat by rhyming with great skill.
3. 日本語で韻を踏む詩を作ることは、英語と比べて難しいとされている。 Writing rhyming poetry in Japanese is said to be harder than doing so in English.

Usage Guide

Context: poetry, rap, literary composition, linguistics

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Combines 韻 (in, 'rhyme, sound') and 踏む (fumu, 'to step, to tread, to follow'). The metaphor of 'treading on rhyme' reflects the idea of deliberately following a prescribed sound path, a concept borrowed from Classical Chinese poetic practice.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical–Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Universal