| Ai-hanmi |
Mutual stance. Partners stand facing one another with the same foot forward |
| Aiki |
Harmonising/Unification of ki |
| Ashi |
Foot |
| Atemi |
A strike, hit or blow |
| Awase |
Blending exercise with a partner using jo/bokken |
| Bokken |
Wooden sword |
| Chi |
Earth |
| Chudan |
Middle level eg chudan tsuki - strike to the abdomen |
| Deshi |
Student, pupil, disciple |
| Do |
Way eg Aikido = The Way of Aiki |
| Dojo |
Training hall |
| Domo arigato gozamashita |
Thank you very much |
| Dori |
Holding eg Katadori - holding the gi at the shoulder |
| Dozo |
Please (used when giving permission) |
| Etsunen-geiko |
Special New Year's Eve practice |
| Furitama |
Clasped hands/tanden shaking following torifune |
| Futaridori |
Being held by two opponents |
| Gassho |
Palms together, as if praying |
| Gedan |
Lower level eg Gedan Uchi - strike to legs/lower area of body |
| Geiko/Keiko |
Practice |
| Gi/Keikogi |
Training suit |
| Giri |
Cutting |
| Gyaku |
Reverse |
| Gyakuhanmi |
Opposite stance. Partners stand with opposite feet forward |
| Gyakute |
"Reverse hand". Holding the jo with the palm facing downwards. |
| Hachi no ji gaeshi |
Figure of eight circular movement |
| Haishin-undo |
Back stretch exercise |
| Hajime |
Begin |
| Hanmi |
Oblique stance. "Half body" |
| Hanmi-handachi |
Techniques performed with Tori (thrower) seated, Uke (attacker) standing |
| Happo giri |
Eight direction cutting |
| Hara |
Lower abdomen; physical and spiritual centre |
| Hasso |
Holding jo or bokken vertically at right shoulder |
| Hidari |
Left |
| Hito e mi |
Basic back triangle stance. "Making the body small". |
| Ho |
Method eg Kokyu ho - breathing method |
| Irimi |
Entering with the body |
| Irimi-ashi |
"Back foot irimi" |
| Iriminage |
Body-entering throw |
| Jo |
Staff/stick, about 4-foot long |
| Jodan |
Upper level eg Jodan tsuki - strike to the face |
| Juji |
Cross, like the Roman numeral X |
| Junbi undo |
Warm-up exercises |
| Jusan no jo |
The 13-count jo kata |
| Jutsu |
Techniques |
| Jyunte |
"Normal hand". Holding the jo with the palm facing upwards. |
| Kaiten |
Turning |
| Kaitennage |
Rotary throw |
| Kamae |
Posture, stance |
| Kamiza |
Place in the dojo where O-Sensei's picture is placed. |
| Kata |
Series of movements eg 13-count jo kata |
| Kata |
Shoulder eg Katadori - holding the gi at the shoulder |
| Katana |
Japanese sword |
| Katate |
One hand |
| Katatedori |
One hand held |
| Keiko/Geiko |
Practice |
| Keikogi/Gi |
Training suit |
| Ken |
Sword |
| Kesa |
The collar of the gi where it lies across the chest. A blow aimed along this line. |
| Kesagiri |
Sword cut along the line of the kesa |
| Ki |
"Energy", "intention" |
| Kihon |
Basic |
| Kiri |
Cutting |
| Kiriotoshi |
Cutting down |
| Kiza |
Sitting on the heels, supported by the toes (in seiza, the toes lie on the mat). |
| Kohai |
Junior |
| Kokyu |
Breath |
| Kokyu-ho |
Breathing method |
| Kokyunage |
Breath throw |
| Kokyu Ryoku |
Breath power |
| Koshi |
Hip |
| Koshinage |
Hip throw |
| Kote |
Wrist |
| Kotegaeshi |
Wrist out-turn |
| Kotehineri |
Wrist twist. Another name for Sankyo |
| Kotemawashi |
Wrist turn-in. Another name for Nikyo |
| Kubi |
Neck |
| Kubishime |
Neck choke |
| Maai |
Distance |
| Mae-ukemi |
Forward ukemi |
| Makiwara |
Object used for striking practice |
| Men |
Strike, blow, cut |
| Menuchi |
Same as Shomenuchi |
| Mi |
Body eg Irimi - entering with the body |
| Migi |
Right |
| Misogi |
Purification practice |
| Mitori-Geiko |
Learning by observing others |
| Morotedori |
Uke (receiver) holds one of Tori's (thrower's) arms with both hands |
| Mune |
Lapel |
| Munedori |
Holding both lapels together, usually with one hand |
| Musubi |
Uniting, bonding |
| Nage |
Throw or thrower |
| Nagewaza |
Throwing techniques |
| Obi |
Belt |
| Omote |
Front |
| Onegaishimasu |
Please (would you do this for me) |
| Osae |
Pin, immobilisation |
| Otoshi |
Drop |
| Oyowaza |
Applied techniques |
| Rei |
Bow |
| Renzoku |
Continuous |
| Renzoku Uchikomi |
Continuous striking attack |
| Ryokata |
Both shoulders |
| Ryote |
Both hands |
| Ryotedori |
Both of Tori's hands held |
| Ryotemochi |
Holding with both hands |
| Sabaki |
Movement, motion |
| Sangaku or Sankaku |
Triangle |
| Sake |
Japanese rice wine |
| Sate |
Sit down |
| Seiza |
Sitting posture. "Good sitting" |
| Sempai |
Senior |
| Sensei |
Instructor, teacher |
| Shikko |
Knee walking |
| Shime |
Strangulation |
| Shimewaza |
Strangulation techniques |
| Shihonage |
Four-direction throw |
| Shizentai |
Natural |
| Shomenuchi |
Vertical blow to the head |
| Sode |
Sleeve |
| Sodedori |
Sleeve held |
| Sokumen |
Side |
| Soremade |
Finish |
| Soto |
Outer, outside eg Sotokaiten nage |
| Suburi |
Striking, cutting exercises with jo or bokken |
| Sumiotoshi |
"Corner drop" |
| Suwariwaza |
Techniques performed in a seated posture |
| Tachi |
Sword |
| Tachi |
Standing |
| Tachiwaza |
Techniques performed from a standing posture |
| Tai |
Body |
| Taijutsu |
"Body arts" |
| Tai no henko |
Body turning |
| Taisabaki |
Body movement |
| Tanden |
Energy centre in the lower abdomen |
| Tanren Uchi |
Makiwara practice with a bokken |
| Tanto |
Knife |
| Tatami |
Mat |
| Tate |
Stand up |
| Te |
Hand eg Katate - one hand, Ryote - two hands |
| Tegatana |
The edge of the hand. "Hand blade" |
| Ten |
Heaven |
| Tenchinage |
Heaven-earth throw |
| Tenkan |
Turning |
| To |
Sword |
| Toma |
A great distance |
| Tori |
The person who throws |
| Torifune |
"Rowing" exercise |
| Tsugi-ashi |
"Glide-walking". "Forward foot irimi" |
| Tsuki |
Thrust, punch |
| Uchi |
A strike |
| Uchi |
Inner eg Uchikaiten nage |
| Uchideshi |
A disciple who lives in the dojo and acts as a trainee/attendant to a master |
| Ude |
Arm |
| Udegarame |
"Arm entanglement" |
| Udekimenage |
Another name for jujinage. "Arm focus throw". |
| Udeosae |
Another name for Ikkyo. "Arm pin". |
| Uke |
Receiver of technique |
| Ukemi |
The art of falling. "Receiving with the body". |
| Ura |
Behind, rear |
| Ura sankaku |
The basic back triangle stance |
| Ushiro |
From behind |
| Ushiro ukemi |
Backward breakfall |
| Ushiro Kiriotoshi |
Cutting down from behind |
| Ushirowaza |
Techniques performed against an attack from behind |
| Waza |
Technique |
| Yame |
Stop |
| Yokomenuchi |
Circular strike to the head |
| Yoi |
Be ready |
| Za |
Sitting |
| Zafu |
Firm cushion used for sitting in Zazen |
| Zanshin |
Continuing awareness after executing a technique |
| Zazen |
"Sitting Zen" |
| Zori |
Straw sandals |