Press Generate for a fresh 5-7-5 haiku built from themed word lists, rewrite any line you don't like, and save it as a pretty image. Writing your own? The checker counts the syllables of every line as you type.
Last updated:
Tip: press ↻ next to a line to rewrite just that line.
Earlier haiku (click to bring back)
Syllables are estimated with English pronunciation rules. If a word is counted wrong, click it to correct the count.
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How to use the Haiku Generator
Pick a theme such as Nature, Autumn, Ocean or Random mix.
Press Generate haiku to get a new 5-7-5 poem. Press ↻ beside a line to rewrite only that line.
Copy it or press Download image and choose an image style.
To check your own haiku, open Check my haiku and type three lines; counts update as you type.
Fix the lines the hints point to until you see Perfect 5-7-5 haiku. Click a word to correct its count if needed.
How to write a good haiku
Show one moment. A haiku captures a single image or event happening now: a frog jumping, steam rising from a cup, a gull on the shore.
Use concrete senses. Things you can see, hear, smell or touch work better than abstract ideas such as love or sadness.
Add a season word. A word like blossom, cicada, maple or snow tells the reader when the poem happens without saying it.
Make a cut. Split the poem into two parts with a pause (a dash, comma or line break) and let the two images speak to each other.
Keep it simple. Skip rhymes, titles and unnecessary words like "very". Present tense works best.
Counting syllables in a haiku
A syllable is one beat of sound with a single vowel sound at its centre. Say the line slowly and clap or tap once for every beat. Some examples:
Line
Breakdown
Syllables
Morning coffee steams
mor · ning · cof · fee · steams
5
a sparrow lands on the rail
a · spar · row · lands · on · the · rail
7
then the cup goes cold
then · the · cup · goes · cold
5
Watch out for silent final e (stone = 1), -ed endings that are not pronounced (jumped = 1, but waited = 2) and vowel pairs that make one sound (rain, moon). Words with flexible pronunciation, like fire, hour or every, can be counted either way; the checker lets you choose.
Haiku themes and season words
Season
Typical images (kigo)
Spring
cherry blossom, plum tree, thaw, lark, budding branch, spring rain
maple leaves, harvest moon, scarecrow, migrating geese, chestnuts
Winter
snow, frost, bare branches, icicle, hearth, short days
Frequently asked questions
What is the 5-7-5 rule?
An English haiku is usually written in three lines of 5, 7 and 5 syllables, 17 in total. The pattern imitates Japanese haiku, which count 5-7-5 sound units called on (morae). Because Japanese on are shorter than English syllables, many modern English poets write shorter haiku, but 5-7-5 remains the standard in schools and competitions.
How does the haiku generator work?
Each theme has hand-made lists of nouns, adjectives, verbs and -ing words with known syllable counts. The generator picks a sentence pattern for each line, such as 'the [adjective] [noun] [verb]', and searches for word combinations whose syllables add up to exactly 5, 7 or 5. Words are not repeated within one haiku.
How accurate is the syllable checker?
It uses English spelling rules plus a list of tricky words and is correct for the vast majority of common words. English pronunciation varies (for example 'fire', 'poem' or 'flower' can be one or two syllables depending on accent), so you can click any word to set its count yourself.
Does a haiku need a season word?
Traditional Japanese haiku include a kigo, a word that hints at the season, such as cherry blossoms for spring or snow for winter, and a cutting word (kireji) that creates a pause. The seasonal themes here use typical season words, and the dash or ellipsis at the end of a line plays the role of the cut.
Can I use the generated haiku?
Yes. The poems are generated randomly in your browser from word lists, and you are free to use, edit and share them, for example in cards, classroom activities or social media posts.
Are numbers counted correctly?
Yes. Numbers are read aloud the usual way before counting, so '7' counts as two syllables (seven) and '1999' as five (nineteen ninety-nine).
Are all the tools on FreeToolCabin tested for quality and accuracy?
Yes! Every tool on our site undergoes automated Q/A testing in real browser environments to ensure high precision, correct output, and zero errors. If you happen to spot a bug or have a suggestion, please contact us at [email protected] and our team will review it right away.