How to say "verse" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 行ぎょうnounCovers 'verse' only in the sense of one line of a poem or text; its basic meaning is 'line (of text)' or 'row', so use it when counting or referring to lines.
- 詩しnounCovers 'verse' in the sense of poetry itself or a poem — the word to use when 'verse' contrasts with prose or names the art form, not for an individual line or section.
- 詩句しくno-adjectiveA line or phrase of a poem; use it for a particular verse quoted or picked out of a poem, rather than for poetry in general.
- 節せつnounA section or passage of a literary work or piece of music; the natural word for the verses of a hymn or of scripture, each a distinct division of the whole.
Use 詩 for verse as poetry in general, 行 for a line of text or poem, 詩句 for a line or phrase quoted from a poem, and 節 for a verse section of a song, hymn, or scripture.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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