Aikido Glossary
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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 or bokken
Bokken - Wooden sword
Chi - Earth
Chudan - Middle level e.g. chudan tsuki - strike to the abdomen
Deshi - Student, pupil, disciple
Do - Way e.g. Aikido = The Way of Aiki
Dojo - Training hall
Domo arigato gozamashita - Thank you very much
Dori - Holding e.g. 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 e.g. 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 e.g. 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 e.g. 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 e.g. 13-count jo kata
Kata - Shoulder e.g. 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 flat 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 e.g. 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 e.g. Sotokaiten nage
Suburi - Striking, cutting exercises with jo or bokken
Sumiotoshi - "Corner drop"
Suwariwaza - Techniques performed from 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 e.g. 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 e.g. 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
Ichi - One
Ni - Two
San - Three
Shi / Yon - Four
Go - Five
Roku - Six
Shichi - Seven
Hachi - Eight
Ku - Nine
Ju - Ten
Ju-ichi - Eleven
Ju-ni - Twelve
Ni-ju - Twenty
Ni-ju-ichi - Twenty one
Ni-ju-ni - Twenty two
San-ju - Thirty
San-ju-ichi - Thirty one
etc.