Kireji (切れ字; lit. "cutting word") are a special type of word used in certain kinds of traditional Japanese poetry. They are required in traditional haiku and in the hokku, or opening verse, of classical renga and its related form, renku (haikai no renga). There is no exact match for kireji in English, and its purpose can be hard to explain. Kireji help hold the verse together. When placed at the end of a verse, they create a respectful ending, giving the verse a strong feeling of being finished. When used in the middle of a verse, they briefly stop the flow of ideas, showing that the verse contains two separate thoughts. In this position, they create a pause in both rhythm and grammar, and can add an emotional tone to the words before them.

List of commonkireji

Classical renga created a tradition of 18 kireji, which were used by haikai and later used in both renku and haiku. The most common ones are listed below:

Use

Hokku and haiku poems follow a structure of 17 Japanese syllables, called on, divided into three phrases with 5, 7, and 5 on. A kireji is usually placed at the end of one of these phrases. When a kireji appears at the end of the final phrase, it creates a circular pattern by connecting the end of the poem back to its beginning. Many hokku, including those written by Bashō, often end with -keri, an exclamatory verb, or kana, an exclamatory particle, both of which help form this circular pattern. When placed elsewhere in the verse, a kireji serves two purposes: it separates the poem into two parts, and it links these parts by showing how the second part reflects the meaning, or hon'i, of the first. This creates two central ideas and often highlights a comparison, similarity, or contrast between them.

A hokku must be a complete sentence on its own, unlike other parts of a linked poem. This is because the hokku, which is the first verse of a longer poem, sets the tone for the rest. To ensure the hokku is linguistically complete, a kireji is often included.

In English haiku and hokku

Kireji do not have a direct match in English. Kireji used in the middle of a verse are described as being heard, not written symbols. In English haiku and hokku, and in translations, kireji can be shown with punctuation like a dash or ellipsis, words that express surprise (like "how…"), or they might not be marked at all.

Examples

The examples below are shown like this:

Spring is ending— birds are crying, and fish have tears in their eyes.

Feeling cool against the feet when resting against a wall— siesta.

— Bashō, translated by Darlington