Tanka

n., pl., Tanka, or -kas.
A member of a people inhabiting coastal areas in China, traditionally living on small boats clustered in colonies. Also called Tan.

[Chinese (Cantonese) Tánka, equivalent to Chinese (Mandarin) Dànjiā : Dàn, tribal name + jiā, family, people.]

The classic form of Japanese poetry with five unrhymed lines of five, seven, five, seven, and seven syllables to produce a concentrated essence of a single event, image or mood.