Free Haiku Checker & Syllable Counter

A tool that counts syllables line by line and checks whether a poem matches the 5-7-5 pattern, or the broader conventions of modern haiku — imagery, season, and structure.

It's the same idea as a haiku checker: a tool that counts syllables in each line of a poem, usually to check a 5-7-5 pattern. This one goes further than a plain counter by using a real pronunciation dictionary instead of guessing from spelling, and by checking structure, imagery, and season alongside the count.

Check three things in order: is it three lines, does it follow the 5-7-5 syllable pattern (or, in modern mode, read as concise and image-driven without forcing that count), and does it capture a single observed moment rather than stating a feeling directly. This tool checks all three at once.

Not necessarily. The 5-7-5 pattern is the classroom convention for English haiku, but it's a translation of the Japanese 17-on structure, not a strict rule. Many published modern English haiku use fewer syllables and prioritize imagery and a clear cut instead.

In the strict form, 17 total across three lines (5-7-5). In modern English haiku, the total varies, but most stay under roughly 17-20 syllables to preserve the form's brevity.

A mora (called an on in Japanese) is the sound unit Japanese haiku are actually counted in. It doesn't correspond one-to-one with an English syllable, which is why literal translations of classic haiku don't always add up to 17 English syllables.

It can, but traditional English-language haiku generally avoids rhyme, since it isn't part of the Japanese form and can make a short poem feel like a jingle rather than an observation.

Called a kigo, it's a word or phrase that signals a season — "cherry blossom" for spring, "cicadas" for summer, "harvest moon" for autumn, "first snow" for winter. Kigo are traditional but optional in modern practice.

Called a kireji in Japanese, it's a word or mark that creates a pause between two parts of a poem, letting two images sit side by side without a sentence connecting them. In English this is usually approximated with a dash, comma, colon, or simply a line break.

Haiku typically focuses on nature and the seasons, observed in a single present moment. Senryu shares the same form but focuses on human nature, behavior, or irony — often with humor. The line between them isn't always sharp.

Because pronunciation varies. Words like "fire," "hour," or "chocolate" can be said with one fewer syllable in fast or casual speech than in careful, formal speech — both are valid, so the checker shows alternatives instead of silently picking one.

It's built on the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary plus a rule-based fallback and is reviewed regularly, but no automated syllable counter is 100% accurate for every word, especially proper nouns and coinages. See the accuracy methodology section below for known limitations.

Not for the syllable math — counting is dictionary-based and rule-based, so the same word always gets the same count, which is more reliable than an AI guess. An optional AI-assisted rewrite feature exists separately and is always clearly labeled when it's used.

No. Your poem is analyzed only long enough to return a result — it isn't saved to a database or published anywhere by default.

Yes, as a check, not a substitute for writing the poem yourself. Using it to verify your own syllable count or catch a structural mistake before turning in an assignment is exactly what it's built for. If your teacher specifically asks you to count syllables by hand as part of the exercise, do that first and use the checker to confirm your work.

Yes. It supports the strict 5-7-5 classroom pattern directly, and a bulk teacher mode for checking multiple student poems at once is planned.

Yes — switch to Modern Haiku mode, which evaluates imagery, season, and structure instead of requiring an exact 5-7-5 count.

AI can generate poems that follow the 5-7-5 pattern reliably, but haiku quality depends on genuine observation and a well-chosen image, which is harder to automate well. Treat AI-generated haiku as a starting point to edit, not a finished poem.

Yes. A dash, comma, or ellipsis is often used to mark the cut between a haiku's two parts, and periods or question marks can appear within a line.