Discover Aikido

Glossary

A

AI: harmony, meeting

ASHI: foot, leg

ASHI BARAI: sweep (of the legs)

ATEMI: strike theoretically delivered to vital points of the human body.

AYUMI ASHI: normal walking step movement: one leg after the other

B

BATTO JUTSU: art of drawing the sword (ancient form of IAIDO)

BO: staff BOJUTSU: art or technique of the staff

BOKKEN: wooden sword

BUDO: way of war, martial art

BUSHI: warrior, samurai

BUSHIDO: code of honor of the BUSHI

C

CHUDAN: middle level

CHUDAN TSUKI: punch to the abdomen-plexus height

D

DAN: degree, rank

DO: way

DOJO: place where the way is studied, martial arts practice hall

E

ERI: collar

G

GEDAN: low level

GERIKERI: kick

GI: training outfit wrongly called

KIMONO GO NO GEIKO: hard training

H

HAKAMA: traditional pleated pants worn in all classical budo

HAMMI: abdominal region, vital center of man

HARAGEI: art of hara, art of the belly

HENKA: change (of posture without moving the feet)

HIDARI: left

HIJI: elbow

HIZA: knees

I

IPPON: one point, one score

ITI: one

IYAMA: name of a dojo

IZEN: meditation, contemplation

J

JUKU: school

JUKUJO: pupil, student

JUJI: cross, X

JUDO: gentle way

JUTSU: art, technique

JUTSU RYU: traditional school

K

KAI: group, association

KAKATO: heel

KAMA: sickle

KAMADE: rice harvesting tool

KATA: form, shape, fixed choreography

M

MAWASHI GERI: circular kick

MAWATE: turn around

MAWATTE KUDASAI: please turn around

MEN: head

MUNE: chest

N

NAGARE: flow, movement, the principle of budo

NAGE: throw

NAGINATA: long pole weapon, curved blade

NAGINATA RYU: traditional school of naginata

NAMI: wave

O

OMOTE: front, face, surface

ONO: axe

OYA: parent, father, ancestor

OTOMO: companion, assistant

R

RAN: rebellion, revolt

RANAI: inside the house

RYU: style, tradition, school

RYUHA: traditional school

RYUUKYU: old name of the Okinawa islands

RYUTSU: circulation

S

SEN: before, previous

SENSHU: instructor, teacher

SEIZA: sitting posture

SENSHU KAKARI: instructor’s responsibility

SHIHO: four directions

SHINAI: practice sword

T

TAI: body

TAI SABAKI: body displacement

TAI SEN: contest of strength

TAI TOKETA: body locked

TAI-TOBI: body leap

TAI-TSUKI: body thrust

U

UKE: block, defense

UCHI: strike, hit

UCHI DESHI: student who lives in the dojo

UKEMI: art of falling safely

UME: plum tree

USHIRO: back

W

WAZA: technique

WAZA ARU: good technique

WAZA WAZA: technique on purpose

Y

YAKUSOKU: promise, commitment

YOKO: side, horizontal

YORI: from, closer

YUKI: courage, bravery

YUKIO: male first name

Z

ZANSHIN: remaining mind, state of alertness

ZAZEN: sitting posture of meditation