English Haiku Syllable Checker
Paste three nonblank lines to compare their English syllable totals with 5, 7 and 5. This preset opens the haiku check with a working example. The checker uses the current dictionary or estimated word counts, so review pronunciations and correct them before relying on a match. It checks the familiar English practice pattern, not Japanese morae or a poem’s quality.
Counts reflect the pronunciations below.
Current counts match 5-7-5
Line 1: 5 / 5 · Line 2: 7 / 7 · Line 3: 5 / 5
Blank lines are ignored. Review estimates and pronunciations before relying on a match. This checks English syllable counts; it does not measure Japanese morae, stress or literary quality.
The pinned CMUdict snapshot supplies pronunciation counts for 125,105 English word forms. Other words are estimates or unknown. You can correct any word or select a listed alternative; corrections last for this page. Counts reflect North American pronunciations, which may differ from yours. CMUdict source license.
Review pronunciations and correct counts
| Word / source | Syllables | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| The lexicon | Count as you pronounce it | |
| yellow lexicon | Count as you pronounce it | |
| flower lexicon | Count as you pronounce it | |
| A lexicon | Count as you pronounce it | |
| beautiful lexicon | Count as you pronounce it | |
| day lexicon | Count as you pronounce it | |
| opens lexicon | Count as you pronounce it | |
| quick lexicon | Count as you pronounce it | |
| begins lexicon | Count as you pronounce it |
The yellow flower 5
A beautiful day opens 7
The quick day begins 5
Common questions
- What does the haiku checker verify?
- It ignores blank lines, requires three nonblank lines and compares their current syllable totals with 5, 7 and 5. Unknown words prevent a complete comparison until you correct them. A matching count does not validate imagery, a seasonal reference, rhythm or literary quality.
- Why can the same haiku get different counts?
- An accent or alternate pronunciation can change a word’s syllables. CMUdict may list more than one count, and words outside the snapshot may use a heuristic. Review the pronunciation table, choose an alternative or enter your own count. The comparison then updates for every occurrence of that word.
- Does every haiku have to be 5-7-5?
- No. This is a common English classroom and practice pattern. English haiku can use other syllable structures, and Japanese traditional counts use morae rather than English syllables. This checker is deliberately limited to an English 5-7-5 exercise.
- Can this generate a haiku or check Japanese?
- It counts supplied English text and provides one example; it does not generate poems. Japanese syllable or mora analysis is not supported. Keep each intended English line separate and use the main Syllable Counter for other poem lengths.
- Can I save or export the result?
- CSV and TXT downloads contain complete line counts and text and are generated locally. Corrections are temporary for this page. Long text is counted in full even when fewer rows are shown on screen.
Counts come from a pinned CMUdict snapshot of North American English pronunciations. Out-of-dictionary words are labeled estimates or unknown. Listed alternatives and your manual corrections can change totals; this is not a stress or Japanese-mora analyzer.