waka

[wah-kuh]

noun

plural

waka, wakas 

1. Prosody.,  tanka.

2. poetry written in Japanese, as distinct from poetry written in Chinese by a Japanese writer, or poetry in other languages.

waka

/ ˈwɔːkə /

noun

1. a Māori canoe, usually made from a tree trunk

2. a tribal group claiming descent from the first Māori settlers in New Zealand

Word History and Origins

Origin of waka¹

1875–80; < Japanese: literally, Japanese song < Middle Chinese, equivalent to Chinese hé harmony (as a euphemistic reading of the character for wō dwarf, an ancient Chinese designation for the Japanese ) + gē song

Word History and Origins

Origin of waka¹

Māori