Glossary of Japanese Terms

• General
• Attacks
• Techniques
• Weapons
• Numbers

General

agora

cross-legged sitting position

ai

harmony

atemi

disrupting strike or feint

dan

black belt rank (yudansha: black belt practitioner)

do

way, path

dojo

training area

gi

training uniform

hakama

flowing, divided pants (worn by black belts in Kokikai)

hanmi

stance (left foot forward, right foot forward, or even)

hara

center ("stomach")

irimi

"entering" (often refers to linear version of a technique)

kata

stylized sequence of moves practiced solo (usually weapon attacks)

ki

energy, spirit (often used metaphorically)

kokyu

breath

kokyudosa

kneeling partner ki exercise

kyu

under(-black) belt rank (mudansha: under belt practitioner)

nage

defender ("thrower"), throw

seiza

kneeling sitting position

sensei

teacher

shikko

"samurai" knee walking

shomen

the scrolls and signs at the front of the class

tenkan

"turning" (often refers to pivoting version of a technique)

uke

attacker ("receiver of the technique")

ukemi

falling, rolls ("the art of receiving a technique")

ushiro

behind

ushiro ukemi

back rolls

waza

technique

Attacks

kata(tori)

(usually) shoulder grab

katate(tori)

wrist grab (same or cross hand)

keri

kick

(ushiro) kubishime

choke (from behind)

(katate) ryote

two hands grab one wrist

(katate) ryotemochi

grab both wrists

shomen(uchi)

overhead strike

(ushiro) tekubi(tori)

double grab (from behind)

(mune)tsuki

linear punch (to abdomen)

ushiro

from behind

yokomen(uchi)

diagonal strike

yokomen(uchi) hantai

reverse diagonal strike

Techniques

Weapons

bokken, bokuto

wooden sword

jo

short staff

tanto

wooden knife

Numbers