Since early times the Japanese have had a liking for the pattern of 「五七五(ごしちご)」(5,7,5 拍(はく) ). This pattern forms the rhythm of poetry such as 俳句(はいく) (haiku) and 川柳(せんりゅう) (satirical poems).

Here are some examples:

しずかさや　岩(いわ)にしみ入る　せみの声(こえ)
Stillness: into the rocks it pierces - the cry of cicadas (芭 蕉(ばしょう))
Eメール 送(おく)ったよ、って 電話(でんわ)する
Email: I ring you up to let you know I sent it!

This pattern can also be found in such diverse genres as 劇(げき)のせりふ(play scripts), 標語(ひょうご)(slogans) and コマーシャル(commercials).

For example: →
Don't run out on the road.
Cars can't stop suddenly.
　 　
　
　 Do you remember trying to say tongue-twisters quickly as a child? Here are some 早口言葉(はやくちことば) that Japanese children learn.
Challenge yourself and your students to say them as quickly as you can!
　
生麦(なまむぎ)、生米(なまごめ)、生卵(なまたまご)
(Raw wheat, raw rice, raw egg)
坊主(ぼうず)が屏風(びょうぶ)に上手(じょうず)に坊主(ぼうず)の絵(え)を描(か)いた
(The monk skilfully drew a picture of a monk on the folding screen)
青巻紙(あおまきがみ)、赤巻紙(あかまきがみ)、黄巻紙(きまきがみ)
(Blue rolled paper, red rolled paper, yellow rolled paper)
パパのパジャマは茶(ちゃ)パジャマ、ママのパジャマは赤(あか)パジャマ、僕(ぼく)のパジャマは黄(き)パジャマ
(Papa's pyjamas are brown pyjamas, mama's pyjamas are red pyjamas, my pyjamas are yellow pyjamas)
　 　
　
　 Onomatopoeia is a characteristic feature of Japanese, and there are numerous expressions made up of two repeated 拍(はく) (morae). Often voiced and voiceless versions come in pairs. The voiceless expression usually has a softer meaning, while the voiced expression is stronger. Compare the following:
　 　
　
1.

きらきら　ぎらぎら

  
eg.

きらきら光(ひか)る目(め)
ぎらぎら光(ひか)る目(め)

twinkling eyes
glaring eyes
2. ころころ　ごろごろ  
  おむすびはころころ転(ころ)がっていった。
かれはうちでごろごろしている。 		The riceball went rolling away.
He just lies around at home.
3. とんとん　どんどん
 　
eg. とんとんとドアをたたく
どんどん太鼓(たいこ)を鳴(な)らす
 to knock on the door
to bang on the drum
4. へらへら　べらべら　ぺらぺら 　
eg. へらへら笑(わら)う
べらべらしゃべる
あの人(ひと)は日本語(にほんご)がぺらぺらだ。 		to laugh foolishly
to talk ceaselessly
That person is fluent in Japanese.		 　
　 　
　
　 In Japanese, compound words and other long words are often shortened. The most common examples are made up of the first two 拍(はく) (morae) from the first word and the first two from the second. Many examples are 外来語(がいらいご) , words of foreign origin, but names may also be shortened.
　
リモート・コントロール → リモコン (remote control)
パーソナル・コンピュータ → パソコン (personal computer)
ワーキング・ホリデー → ワーホリ (working holiday)
セクシャル・ハラスメント → セクハラ (sexual harassment)
キングス・クロス → キンクロ (Kings Cross, Sydney)
きむらたくや → キムタク (木村拓哉(きむらたくや), singer with SMAP)
　 　
　
　 The word for pronunciation, 「発音(はつおん)」, is made up of 発(はつ) meaning to start or burst forth , and 音(おん), meaning sound . The kanji comes from nearly the same pictograph as 言(げん)、meaning to say or speak. Both come from pictures of an edged tool and a mouth to symbolise a punctuated utterance, but in 音(おん) there is a line across the mouth which, it is conjectured, indicated a muffled voice, or sound .

Here are some words which contain this kanji:
母音(ぼいん) - vowel, 子音(しいん) - consonant, 音読(おんよ)み - on reading (of kanji), 音声学(おんせいがく) - phonetics, 音楽(おんがく) - music
　 　
　
　 　
　 This section written by Cathy Jonak
　  
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