和歌

• Reading: わか
• Romaji: waka
• Kanji breakdown: 和 (wa) — Japan, Japanese, harmony; 歌 (ka/uta) — song, poem, verse
• Pronunciation: /wa.ka/

Meaning

Waka; traditional Japanese poetry, particularly the tanka form with a 5-7-5-7-7 syllable structure. The classical poetic tradition of Japan as distinguished from Chinese verse.

和歌 (literally Japanese song/poem) is the overarching term for classical Japanese poetry, particularly the 31-mora tanka form. The imperial anthologies 万葉集 (Manyoshu, 7th–8th century) and 古今和歌集 (Kokinshu, 905 CE) are its foundational texts. 和歌 distinguishes native Japanese poetry from 漢詩 (kanshi, Chinese-style poetry). Composing waka was an essential accomplishment for Heian court nobles. The term encompasses choka, sedoka, and other classical forms alongside tanka.

Examples

1. 百人一首には平安時代から鎌倉時代にかけての優れた和歌が百首選ばれている。 The Hyakunin Isshu contains one hundred outstanding waka poems selected from the Heian to Kamakura periods.
2. 和歌には季節の移ろいや恋愛の機微を詠んだものが多い。 Many waka poems are composed about the changing of the seasons and the subtleties of romantic feeling.
3. 古今和歌集は和歌の歴史において最も重要な勅撰集の一つとされている。 The Kokinshu is regarded as one of the most important imperial anthologies in the history of waka.

Usage Guide

Context: classical literature, poetry, cultural heritage, education

Tone: literary, cultural

Origin & History

Native Japanese compound: 和 (wa) meaning Japanese or harmonious, referring to Japan itself; 歌 (ka/uta) meaning song or poem. The term directly distinguishes native Japanese poetry from Chinese verse (漢詩/kanshi), asserting its own literary identity.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient-Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal