ageAction of raising, lifting
aihanmiRelative stance of two practitioners with the same leg forward
aikidoLiterally: way of harmonising energy
ashiLeg, foot
ashibaraiFoot sweep
atamaHead
atemiStrike
awaseCombination, union, harmonisation
ayumiWalking
baraiSweep
boLong stick
bojutsuStick techniques
bokkenWooden sword
buWarrior
bushiWarrior
budoWay of the warrior, martial arts
chiChinese word for vital energy, same as "Ki"
chudanMiddle level (from the neck to the waist)
dachiStance
daiBig
danLevel, grade (black belt)
doWay, path
dojoPlace of Budo training
embusenDiagram of a kata
empiElbow, same as "hiji"
fumiCrush
gashoPlace hands together in front of the face to bow (Zen, Mokuso, etc.)
gedanLow level (from the waist down)
geriKick
giSuit for Budo practice, made up of Uwagi (jacket), Zubon (trousers) and Obi (belt)
gonosenTactic of letting the opponent attack first in order to counter-attack
gyakuReverse, opposite
hajimeStart, begin
hakamaWide trousers worn over the gi in traditional martial arts (Kyudo, Kendo, Iaido, Aikido, etc.)
happoEight directions
haraAbdomen
heikoParallel
henkaChange (of stance)
hidariLeft
hijiElbow
hikiteDrawing the fist back to the hip
hizaKnee
hoDirection, sense, method
horanokamaeStarting position of some katas, with one hand covering the closed fist
ipponOne (point, step, attack, etc.)
ipponkumitePartner exercises with 1 attack 1 defence
irimiEntering movement (into the opponent's circle)
jitsuTechnique
jiyuFree
jiyuipponkumiteFree (controlled) sparring with a single attack
jiyukumiteControlled partner exercises in which sparring forms are free
joHigh
jodanHigh level (from the neck up)
josekiUpper side, place of honour (in the dojo, the south wall, to the right of the main wall)
juGentleness, gentle
judoWay of gentleness
jukumiteGentle sparring
kagiHook
kakeHook
kaishowazaOpen-hand techniques
kakatoHeel
kamaeDefensive stance
kamaeteOrder to take position
kamizaMain wall of the dojo, to the east, where the Tokonoma is
karaEmpty
karadaBody, same as "tai"
karatedoThe Way of the empty hands
kataForm of practice, with or without a partner, with pre-set sequences of techniques
katanaSword
keageFast upward movement
keikoTraining
kekomiThrusting movement
kenSword
kendoArt of Japanese fencing
keriKick
kiEnergy, vital force, spirit
kiaiProjection of energy through a shout
kihonBasic techniques
kimeConcentration of physical and mental energy, decision
kiritsuStand up
koSmall, posterior
kohaiJunior practitioner, the opposite of Sempai
kokoroSpirit, heart
kokyuBreath power
koshiHip
koteWrist
kumiteSparring
kuzushiImbalance
kyuStudent grade
kyushoVital points
maaiCorrect distance
maeFront
makiRoll
makikomiJudo technique consisting of throwing by rolling the opponent
makiwaraTraditionally straw-wrapped target for training Karate-do or Kyudo
mawashiCircular movement
midaleKarate-do training method consisting of continued attacks and dodges
migiRight
mokusoLiterally: not thinking. State of concentration during the opening and closing ceremony of Budo practice
moroteBoth hands
nagewazaThrowing techniques
nekoCat
nobashiExtension, act of stretching
nukiteAttack with fingers together and extended
oBig
okuriSliding
osaeImmobilisation
otagaiMutual bow
otoshiMovement from top to bottom
randoriFree sparring
reiBow
reigiEtiquette, rules of conduct
ritsureiStanding bow
ryoBoth
ryuStyle, school
sabakiEvasion
saiTrident-shaped weapon from Okinawa
samuraiJapanese warrior
sanbonkumiteSparring with three attacks
sasaeSupport
seizaKneeling position
sempaiSenior student
sennosenAnticipation
senseiTeacher
senseireiBow to the teacher
senseitaishiBow towards the teacher
shihanHigh-ranking teacher
shihoFour directions
shikkoWalking on the knees
shimozaWest wall of the dojo, opposite Kamiza, where the students sit
shimosekiNorth wall of the dojo, where non-practising assistants may sit
shinSpirit
shinaiBamboo sword used in Kendo practice
shiseiPosition, posture
shizentaiNatural upright stance
shoSmall
shomenFacing the front
shomenreiBow to the main wall of the dojo
shomentaishiBow towards the main wall of the dojo
shutoEdge of the hand (little finger side)
sokutoEdge of the foot, little toe side
sotoOutside
sumoTraditional Japanese wrestling
sutemiSacrifice; techniques in which the executor throws themselves to throw the opponent
taiBody, same as "karada"
taisabakiBody movement/evasion
tantoDagger
tatamiJapanese mat covering the floor, used in Judo and Aikido
tateVertical
teHand
tettsuiOuter lateral part of the fist
toFar, distant
tobiJump
tokuiStrongest
tokuiwazaStrongest (favourite) technique
tomariteCombat techniques originating in Tomari - Okinawa
tomoeCircular
tonfaAgricultural tool used in popular fighting techniques
toriThe one who attacks, the executor
tsukiPunch
tsukuriContact, second phase of executing a Judo technique
uchiInside
udeArm, forearm
ukeThe attacker, in two-person practice; the one who receives the fall
ukemiBreakfall, rolling
uraMovement rotating; the opponent’s back
urakenBack of the hand
uramawashiBack circular kick
ushiroBehind, to the rear
wakizashiShorter sword
wazaTechnique
yakosokuAgreed, no resistance
yameStop
yasumeOrder to relax
yoiAttention order
yokoSideways, lateral
zanshinState of concentration
zareiSeated bow
zempoTowards the front
zen1Front
zen2Japanese discipline, a branch of Buddhism