Tanka Definition

tängkə

tankas

noun

A Japanese verse form of 31 syllables in five unrhymed lines, the first and third having five syllables each and the others seven.

Webster's New World

A verse form in another language modeled on the Japanese tanka, typically counting syllables instead of morae.

American Heritage

A poem in this form.

Webster's New World

A member of a people inhabiting coastal areas in China, traditionally living on small boats clustered in colonies.

American Heritage

A strong, forceful expression.

Wiktionary

Other Word Forms of Tanka

Singular:

tanka

Plural:

tankas

Cantonese daan6 gaa1 daan6 tribal name (from Middle Chinese tfian`) (also the source of Mandarin dàn) gaa1 family, people (from Middle Chinese kjaː) (also the source of Mandarin jiā)

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
Japanese tan short (from Middle Chinese tuan´) (also the source of Mandarin duǎn) ka song, poem (from Middle Chinese ka) (also the source of Mandarin gē)

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
From Japanese 短歌 (tanka たんか, “short song"), from Middle Chinese 短 (twán "short") + æŒ (ka "song") (compare Mandarin duÇŽngÄ“ 短歌).

From Wiktionary
From Japanese 啖呵 (tanka).

From Wiktionary

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