tanka n 1: a form of Japanese poetry; the 1st and 3rd lines have five syllables and the 2nd, 4th, and 5th have seven syllables 2: a Tibetan religious painting on fabric
Tanka \Tan"ka\, n. (Naut.) A kind of boat used in Canton. It is about 25 feet long and is often rowed by women. Called also {tankia}. --S. W. Williams. [1913 Webster]