tanka
/ˈtɑŋkə/
noun
- A traditional Japanese poem with five lines and a total of 31 syllables, usually following a 5-7-5-7-7 syllable pattern.
- In class, we learned how to count syllables to write our own tanka.
- The poet wrote a beautiful tanka about cherry blossoms in spring.
- She read a tanka aloud, and everyone admired its simple elegance.
- A Tibetan or Nepalese religious painting on cloth, often depicting Buddhist deities or scenes.
- The museum displayed a colorful tanka from a monastery in Nepal.
- Monks carefully unrolled the ancient tanka for the ceremony.
- She bought a small tanka as a souvenir of her trip to Tibet.