Kintai-shi are classified into zekku (quatrain) of 5 syllables, zekku of 6 syllables, zekku of 7 syllables, risshi (consisting of eight lines) of 5 syllables, risshi of 7 syllables, hairitsu (consisting of 12 or more lines) of 5 syllables and hairitsu of 7 syllables according to the number of lines and syllables in one line.
句数・１句の字数から五言絶句・六言絶句・七言絶句・五言律詩・七言律詩・五言排律・七言排律に分類される。