Onji

On (音) is a Japanese word corresponding to a sound; onji （音字）corresponds to "sound symbol".

On (or onji) are the phonetic units that are counted in Japanese Haiku, and in linguistics are called "morae". The word "moji" (文字, character symbol) is also sometimes used, as is "haku" (拍).

In counting the beats in haiku, "on" is often translated into the more familiar English word syllable, although an English syllable may in fact consist of more than one morae/"on".

In an essay "Stalking the Wild Onji," Richard Gilbert notes that although often used in English-language discussion of Japanese poetry, the word "onji" is an archaic term not commonly used in modern Japanese. He notes that the modern Japanese term would be "hyouon moji".

External links

* [http://www.ahapoetry.com/wildonji.htm Stalking the Wild Onji] (also available in pdf form at [http://www.worldhaiku.net/archive/onji.pdf worldhaiku.net] ). Retrieved 2008-08-20.