抒情詩

• Reading: じょじょうし
• Romaji: jojoshi
• Kanji breakdown: 抒 (jo) — express, pour out; 情 (jō) — emotion; 詩 (shi) — poem, poetry
• Pronunciation: /dʑo.dʑo.ː.ɕi/

Meaning

Lyric poem; lyric poetry. A genre of verse that expresses the poet's personal emotions, thoughts, and sensibilities in a direct, musical form.

A compound of 抒情 (jojō — lyrical expression) and 詩 (shi — poem). Lyric poetry is characterised by a first-person subjective voice and musical quality, as opposed to 叙事詩 (epic poetry) or 劇詩 (dramatic poetry). The Western lyric tradition was introduced to Japan during the Meiji period, profoundly influencing modern Japanese poetry. 抒 is an archaic variant of 叙, both meaning 'to pour out and express.'

Examples

1. 島崎藤村の抒情詩は明治文学を代表する作品群だ。 Shimazaki Toson's lyric poems are representative works of Meiji-era literature.
2. 授業で西洋の抒情詩を原文で読む機会があった。 In class, we had the opportunity to read Western lyric poetry in the original languages.
3. 彼女の書く抒情詩は自然への深い愛情にあふれている。 The lyric poetry she writes overflows with a deep love for nature.

Usage Guide

Context: literature, poetry, academic writing

Tone: aesthetic

Origin & History

Combines 抒 (jo — an archaic variant meaning 'to pour out, to express') with 情 (jō — feeling) and 詩 (shi — poem). The term reflects classical Chinese poetic terminology adapted into Japanese literary discourse during the Meiji period.

Cultural Context

Era: Meiji period

Generation: Educated adults

Social background: Academic