Terminology

Many of the concepts and names for items taught in our system are in Japanese. The following glossary is presented as an aid to our students.

Note that i and u are often silent when at the end of a word. For example, “dachi” is generally pronounced “dach” and “masu” would be pronounced “mas”.

The consonants are pronounced as follows:

Japanese pronunciation usually has no emphasis on syllables. Native English speakers normally put emphasis on syllables as this is natural for the English language. Native Japanese speakers generally do not put emphasis on syllables.

Some examples are as follows:

Word	English Mispronunciation	Japanese Pronunciation
Tokyo	Tok-i-yo	tok-yo
Mitsubishi	Meets-SU-bee-shee	mi-tsu-bi-shi
Inoue	In-No-Way	i-no-u-e

The Japanese language fairly strictly divides syllables by vowels. If you find a vowel, it is likely the end of a syllable. You will also notice in the above examples that English speakers may put emphasis on syllables whereas the Japanese do not utilize such emphasis. Everything is generally mono-syllabic.

The remainder of this text is a simple glossary of terms.

A

 

Age	Rising
Age Uke	A rising block
Age Zuki	Rising punch
Ago	Chin
Aruki No Waza	Walking tricks
Ashi	Leg or foot
Ashi Ate Waza	Foot and/or leg striking tricks
Ashi Kubi	Ankle, “neck of the leg”
Ashi Waza	Foot and/or leg throwing tricks
Atama	Head
Atemi	Strikes, particularly with the hands to the body
Atemi Waza	Hand strike techniques
Ato Uchi Waza	Feinting and misleading tricks
Awase Tsuke	U-punch
	--------------------------------------------------

B

 

Batto	Draw the sword
Bo	Long staff
Bogyo Keri Waza	Kicking defense techniques
Bojitsu	Art of the long staff
Bokken	Wooden sword
Boshi	Tempered front beveled edge of katana
Bo Waza	Long staff techniques
Budo	Martial arts emphasizing spiritual, health, and sporting aspects over self defense and combat
Bunkai	Application, explanation or evaluation
Bushido	Way of the warrior. Unwritten moral and ethical code of the Samurai. Combat arts.
Buto	Dancing
	--------------------------------------------------

C

 

Chiburi	Shaking or dislodging blood from katana, cleaning the blade
Chinugui	Wiping blood from the katana blade
Choku Zuki	Straight punch
Chudan	Middle level, middle of the body, torso
Chudan Uke	Middle block
Chu O	The middle third of a katana blade
Chushin Waza	Balance or centering practices
	--------------------------------------------------

D

 

Dachi	Stance – spelling of “tachi” when used following another word
Daisho	The two swords worn by Samurai. Literally “long and short”
Daito	Great sword, the longer of the two swords in the daisho
Dan	Degree or Step
Datto	Removing sword from belt
Debana Waza	Anticipatory movement strategies
Dekata	Attitude
Denshi	Student
Densho	Oral History, History
Do	Way, degrees (e.g. ‘yon ju go do’ is 45 degrees)
Dogu Kigakaki	Equipment maintenance
Dojo	Practice hall, place for learning ‘the way’
	--------------------------------------------------

E

 

Eiyo	Nutrition
Empi	Elbow, flying swallow
Empi Uche	Elbow strike
Ennogyo	Monkey playing
Eri	Collar or lapel
	--------------------------------------------------

F

 

Fuchi	Katana collar
Fudo Dachi	Rooted stance
Fukusa	Cutting part of katana blade near tip
	--------------------------------------------------

G

 

Gakusei	Student
Gainen	Concept
Gamae	Posture
Gankaku	“Crane on the rock”
Ganmen	Face
Gedan	Lower level, waist level or below
Gedan Berai Uke	Lower parry or lower sweeping block
Gedan Juji Uke	Lower cross block (X-block)
Geri	kick, spelling of ‘keri’ when used following another word
Gi	Uniform or practice clothing
Giri	cut, spelling of “kiri” when used following another word
Go	Five
Godan	Fifth
Gokyu	Fifth class or classification
Goshin Waza	Self-defense techniques
Gyaku	Reverse
Gyaku Zuki	Reverse punch
	--------------------------------------------------

H

 

Ha	Blade (sharp) edge of the katana, wing
Habaki	Blade collar
Hachi	Eight
Hachidan	Eighth
Hachikyu	Eighth class or classification
Hachihenkeigafu	Evasive study of the octagon
Hada	Grain – refers to the grain of the katana blade
Hai	Yes, back or behind
Haisoku Geri	Instep kick
Haito	Inner knife hand, ridge hand
Hajime	Begin
Hakama	Traditional wide legged pants (split skirt) uniform of iaido
Hakkakkei Densho	Ethical study of the octagon
Ha-Michi	Edge notch – used as a stop for the tsuba
Hamon	Temper line of the katana blade
Hangetsu Dachi	Side horse stance
Hanshi	Root master; honorific title given for one’s character, not just their martial skills
Hara	Stomach
Hattatsu	Skills, abilities
Heiko Dachi	Parallel stance
Heisoku Dachi	Attention stance
Hera	Peg in back of hakama
Hidari	Left
Himo	Straps or cords
Hira Ken	Half fist
Hiza	Knee
Hizagashira	Knee cap
Hiza Geri	Knee kick
Horimono	Engraving or marking on the katana blade
Hyoshi	Timing
	--------------------------------------------------

I

 

Iaido	The way of drawing the sword
Iaido Waza	Katana sword exercises and drills
Iai Hiza	Kneeling posture for drawing the sword, kneeling on one calf
Iaito	Practice katana – usually not sharp
Ichi	One
Iie	No
Ikkyu	First class
Ippon	One
Ippon Dachi	One point stance, one-legged stance
Ippon Ken Tsuki	One knuckle punch
Irimi Nage	Entering throw
Irimi Waza	Entering techniques or tricks
Ito	Braid on the katana tsuka
	--------------------------------------------------

J

 

Jitsu	Art or technique, alternate spelling of Jutsu
Jiyu Kumite	Free sparring
Jiyu Kumite Waza	Free sparring techniques, drills, and exercises
Jizengo	Additionally, in addition
Jo	Short staff
Jodan	High level, head level, upper level
Jodan Juji Uke	High cross block (X-block)
Jojitsu	Short staff techniques
Jo Waza	Short staff techniques
Ju	ten, gently or pliable
Judan	tenth
Juji Dachi	Crossed stance
Junbitaiso Waza	Warm up exercises
Junjo	Process, steps
Jutsu	Art or technique
	--------------------------------------------------

K

 

Kagi	Hook
Kagi Zuki	Hook Punch
Kaitten	Turning
Kake Geri	Hook kick
Kamiza	High place, place of the ancestors, place of the gods
Kansetsu	Knuckle or joint
Kansetsu Geri	Joint Kick
Kansetsu Waza	Joint lock techniques
Karate	Empty hand
Kashira	Butt cap of the tsuka
Kata	Shoulder, form or choreographed sequences of movement
Katana	Curved Japanese sword worn sharpened edge up
Katate Uchi	One handed strike (cut)
Keage	Snap (kick)
Kempo	Fist Law (see Kenpo below)
Ken	Fist, straight double edge sword
Kendo	The way of the sword that is already drawn (see ‘iaido’)
Kenpo	Way of the fist, fist law (note that ‘n’, when followed by ‘p’, is pronounced ‘m’)
Keri	Kick
Keri No Waza	Kicking tricks and techniques
Kesa	Sash worn diagonally across the chest by Buddhist priests.
Kesa Giri	Diagonal downward cut
Ki	Inner strength or spirit
Kiai	Shout, yell
Kiba Dachi	Horse stance
Kidzuki	Awareness
Kieru Waza	Disappearing techniques
Kihaku	Energy
Kihon Teki	Fundamentals, basics
Kiku No Kata	Energy Gathering
Kime Waza	Focusing techniques or exercises
Kimochi	Feeling or sensation
Kin Geri	Groin kick
Kiri	Cut (as in cut with the katana)
Kiri Age	Diagonal upward cut
Kiri Gaeshi	Large diagonal cut
Kiri Kudashi	Finishing cut
Kiri Otoshi	Dropping cut, vertical downward cut
Kiryoku	Willpower
Kissaki	Point sword tip
Kizami Tsuke	Jab
Kobudo	Ancient Martial Ways
Koga Ken Keiko	Repositioning practice with the sword
Koga Waza	Escaping techniques
Koiguchi	Mouth or opening of the saya
Kojiri	Scabbard tip
Kokoro	Mind
Kokato	Heel
Kokato Geri	Heel kick
Kokutsu Dachi	Back stance
Kokyu	Breath, breath power
Kokyu Waza	Breathing exercises or techniques
Koryo	Concern, consideration
Koryu	Old school, lineage
Koshi	Hip, ball of the foot
Koshi Nagae Waza	Hip throw techniques
Kote	Wrist, lower forearm
Ku	Nine
Kubi	Neck
Kudan	Ninth
Kumite	Sparring
Kurikata	knob, sageo loop on katana saya
	--------------------------------------------------

M

 

Ma Ai	Angling and distancing
Mae	Front, forward
Mae Geri	Front Kick
Mae Keage	Front Snap Kick (sometimes mae geri keage)
Mae Tobi Geri	Front jump kick
Mageyasu Waza	Suppleness exercises
Makiwara	Striking or practice board
Makiwara Waza	Hand and foot conditioning techniques
Mate	Stop, wait
Mawashi	Turning, spinning
Mawashi Geri	Roundhouse kick
Mawashi Zuki	Roundhouse punch
Mekugi	Peg that holds the tsuka on the katana.
Mekugi Ana	Hole in the katana tang that accepts the mekugi
Mei	Signature on a katana blade
Menuki	Ornaments on the katana tsuka
Mi	The body, one’s self, eyebrow
Migi	Right Side
Mikazuki	Crescent moon, three day moon
Mikazuki Geri	Crescent kick
Momo	Thigh
Mon	Crest
Mon Gaku	Study of the Crest
Mono Uchi	The third of the katana blade nearest the tip
Morote Uchi	Two handed strike (cut)
Mudansha	Non black belt holder
Mune	Chest, back of the katana blade
Mushin	State of mind without thought, devoid of thought
Mune-machi	Back notch on the katana blade against which the tsuba is stopped.
	--------------------------------------------------

N

 

Nagae	Throw
Nagae Waza	Throwing techniques
Nakago	Tang of the katana blade
Nakago Jiri	The end of the tang of a katana blade
Naihanchi	Iron horse
Nana	Seven
Nanadan	Seventh
Ne	Ground, root, base
Ne Waza	Ground techniques
Neko	Cat
Neko Ashi Dachi	Cat leg stance, cat stance
Neko Buto	Cat-like dance
Ni	Two
Nidan	Second
Nidan Geri	Double Kick
Nikyu	Second class or classification
No	Possessive particle
Noto	Placing katana blade in the saya
Nukite	Spear hand
Nunchaku	Flail weapon consisting of two short rods connected by rope or chain
Nunchaku Waza	Nunchaku techniques
	--------------------------------------------------

O

 

Obi	Belt
Oi	Lunge, chase, pursue
Oi Waza	Chasing or following techniques
Oi Zuki	Lunch punch
Omote	Front
Onna No Atemi Waza	Female vital point striking techniques
Onna No Uke Waza	Female receptive tricks
Omote	Front
Osae	Pressure
Osae Komi	pressing, holding down, pinning
Osae Komi Waza	Holding Techniques
Otoko No Atemi Waza	Male fundamental vital point striking techniques
	--------------------------------------------------

P

 

Passai	“Penetrate the Fortress” (also often seen spelled “bassai”)
Pinon	Peaceful mind
	--------------------------------------------------

R

 

Randori Waza	Free grappling techniques
Rei	Bow
Reigi	Etiquette
Reishiki	Etiquette
Rokkyu	Sixth class or classification
Roku	Six
Rokudan	Sixth
Rokkyu	Sixth class or classification
Ryu	Style or school of martial arts training
	--------------------------------------------------

S

Sageo	Cord from the kurigata on the saya to the hakama himo.
Sakotsu	Collarbone
Sai	Weapon from Okinawa comprised of three fingers with the middle finger being the longest
Samurai	Warrior class of medieval Japan, one who serves
San	Three
Sanchin Dachi	Hourglass stance
Sandan	Third
Sankyu	Third class or classification
Saya	Katana scabbard
Shichikyu	Seventh class or classification
Seppa	Metal spaces on either side of tsuba
Seiza	Traditional Japanese sitting position
Sempai	Senior student
Sensei	Teacher, instructor
Seoi	Shoulder
Shamen	Side of head, temple
Shi	four, death
Shichi	Seven
Shihan	Senior instructor, head of a system, head instructor
Shin Ai	Bamboo practice sword used in Kendo
Shinken	Sharp blade, live blade
Shodan	First
Shomen	Front or top of head, front of dojo, front of room, straight ahead
Shomen Uchi	Strike at front of head or face
Shu	Hand
Shuto	Knife hand, “a hand seeking opportunity”
Sui Getsu	Solar plexus
Sukiru	Skill, ability
	--------------------------------------------------

T

 

Tachi	Stance, curved sword worn on the belt with the sharpened edge of the blade pointed down
Tachi Mae	The side of a katana blade containing the signature
Tachi Waza	Standing techniques, techniques done from a standing position
Tai	The body
Taito	Putting sword into belt
Tanden	Area below the navel and the center of ki
Tanto	Knife-sized short sword
Tatami	Mat, rice straw mat,
Tate	Vertical
Tate Ken	Vertical fist
Tate Noto	Standing noto, inserting the katana blade in the saya with the edge facing up.
Tate Zuki	Vertical punch
Tatsu	Standing or rising up, dragon
Te	Hand
Tei	Bottom, street, ward, town
Teito	Holding the sword lose by the left side
Teito Shisei	Holding sword on left side in obi with thumb on tsuba
Tekubi	Wrist, “neck of the hand”
Tekubi Tori	Wrist pull
Te Waza	Hand techniques, hand throwing techniques
Tetsul Ken	Hammer fist
Tori	pull, grasp, grab, the one who demonstrates
Tsuba	Katana hand guard, disc guard
Tsuba Motto	The third of the katana blade nearest the tsuba
Tsuka	Katana handle
Tsukagawa	Leather wrappings of katana handle
Tsuki	Punch (also often spelled ‘Zuki’)
Tsuki No Waza	Thrusting Techniques
Tsumasaki	Tips of the toes
	--------------------------------------------------

U

 

Uchi	Inside, strike
Uchi Mawashi Geri	Inside roundhouse kick
Uchi Waza	Striking techniques
Ude	The arm, forearm
Ude Uke	Forearm block
Ue	Up
Uke	Receive, block (receive a strike), workout partner (receiver of a technique)
Uke Nagashi	Receive and deflect
Uke Waza	Blocking (receiving) techniques
Ukemi Waza	Falling techniques
Ura	Reverse side, back, behind
Uraken	Back of fist
Uraken Uchi	Backfist strike
Ura Chudan Uke	Reverse middle block
Ura Zuki	Reverse side punch
Ure	Back of the hand
Ushiro	Behind, rearward
Ushiro Geri	Back kick
Utsu	Attack
Utsuri	Switch, change, shift position
	--------------------------------------------------

W

 

Wakare	Separation
Wakiaashi	Shorter of the two swords in the daisho – equivalent to shoto
Wan	The arm
Wanto	Arm sword
Waza	Tricks, techniques, skills, exercises
Wazawaza	Doing something especially rather than incidentally. In our case, specific movements or techniques.
	--------------------------------------------------

Y

 

Yakiba	Hardened part of a katana blade near the edge
Yakusogaku	Prearranged sparring
Yama	Mountain
Yama tsuke	Wide U-hand punch, “mountain punch”
Yame	Stop
Yari	Spear
Yashuri Mei	File marks on the tang of the katana
Yawara	Soft, pliable, gentle
Yawara Waza	Releasing techniques
Yoho Giri	Horizontal cut
Yoi	Attention, ready
Yoko	Side, horizontal
Yoko Geri	Side kick
Yoko Geri Keage	Shovel kick, side snap kick (also sometimes “yoko keage geri”)
Yoko Geri Kekomi	Side thrust kick
Yokomen Uchi	Side strike to head
Yon	four
Yondan	Fourth
Yonhon Uchi	Four finger spear hand strike
Yonkyu	Fourth class or classification
Yubi	Finger
Yubi Tori	Finger pull
Yudansha	Black belt level, one who wears a black belt
Yuri Yaka Ni	Smooth
	--------------------------------------------------

Z

 

Zanshin	Awareness, watchfulness,
Zen	Japanese sect of Buddhism, in front, before, innate knowledge
Zenkutsu	Forward leaning
Zenkutsu Dachi	Front stance, forward leaning stance
Zuki	Punch, spelling of “tsuki” when following another word
	--------------------------------------------------

Numbers

 

1	ichi
2	ni
3	san
4	yon, shi
5	go
6	roku
7	nana, schichi
8	hachi
9	ku
10	ju
11	ju-ichi (ten and one)
12	ju-ni
13	ju-san
14	ju-yon, ju-shi
15	ju-go
16	ju-roku
17	ju-nana, ju-shichi
18	ju-hachi
19	ju-ku
20	ni-ju (two tens)
21	ni-ju-ich (two tens and one)
30	san-ju (three tens)
40	yon-ju, shi-ju
50	go-ju
100	hyaku
1000	sen
	Some Examples
123	hyaku ni ju san
45	yon ju go
1453	sen yon hyaku go ju san
	--------------------------------------------------

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We are located in Mead (Northern Spokane), WA