AIKIDO GLOSSARY
Don’t worry – you don’t have to learn Japanese to learn Aikido! Through repetition and association you will become familiar with the Japanese terms.
Noted below are some of the Japanese terms used in the Dojo and their phonetic pronunciation.
| Ai | (Eye) |
| Harmony, coming together | |
| Aikido | (Eye-key-doe) |
| Ai = harmony, Ki = spirit, Do = The way or path | |
| Ai Hanmi | (Eye-han-me) |
| Equal stance | |
| Atemi | (Ah-tem-ee) |
| Defensive strike used to distract or unbalance your attacker | |
| Bo | (Boe) |
| Wooden staff that is generally 6 foot in length | |
| Boken | (Bow-ken) |
| Wooden sword | |
| Budo | (Boo-doe) |
| Martial way or techniques of war | |
| Bushido | (Boo-she-doe) |
| Warrior’s code – the way of the warrior | |
| Dan | (Dan) |
| First step – black belt holder | |
| Dojo | (Doe-joe) |
| Training hall specifically for Japanese martial arts. Translates as “place of the way” | |
| Dori | (Door-ree) |
| Grab | |
| Dosa | (Doh-sah) |
| An exercise | |
| lie | (Ee-ay) |
| No | |
| Gaeshi | (Guy-eh-she) |
| To reverse | |
| Gi | (Ghee) |
| Or Keikogi – uniform for martial arts training | |
| Gyaku Hanmi | (Ghee-ah-koo hon-me) |
| Opposite stance | |
| Hai | (Hi) |
| Yes | |
| Hakama | (Hah-kah-mah) |
| A pleated, pant-like skirt. In many schools, only the black belts wear hakama, in others everyone does. O Sensei made everyone wear hakama as the gi was considered as underwear. | |
| Hajime | (Hah-jee-may) |
| Begin | |
| Hanmi | (Hon-me) |
| Triangular stance similar to a boxer’s stance. | |
| Hiji | (He-jee) |
| Elbow | |
| Hiji-dori | (He-jee-doe-ree) |
| Elbow throw | |
| Irimi | (Ee-ree-me) |
| To enter, entering | |
| Jyu Waza | (Gee-you Wah-zah) |
| Free style technique/practice | |
| Jo | (Joe) |
| Wooden staff that is generally 4 foot long | |
| Kaiten | (Kai-ten) |
| To revolve or rotate | |
| Kaitenage | (Kai-ten-nah-gay) |
| Rotary or circular throw | |
| Kata | (Kah-tah) |
| Pre-arranged form of exercise. Also means shoulder | |
| Kata-dori | (Kah-tah doe-ree) |
| Shoulder grab | |
| Katate | (Kah-tah-tay) |
| One hand (left or right) | |
| Katana | (Kah-tah-nah) |
| Long sword | |
| Keiko | (Kay-ko) |
| Japanese sword | |
| Ki | (Key) |
| Spirit, energy intention – a stream or flow of positive energy from the body | |
| Ki Musubi | (Key Moss-su-bee) |
| Ki blending | |
| Kiai | (Key-eye) |
| A short yell or shout uttered when performing an attacking move | |
| Kokyu | (Coke-you) |
| Breath power | |
| Kokyu Dosa | (Coke-you-doe-sah) |
| Pinning or taking your partner off-balance without the use of physical power e.g by using “ki” | |
| Koshi | (Koh-she) |
| Hips or waist | |
| Koshi-nage | (Koe-she-nah-gay) |
| Hip throw | |
| Kotegaeshi | (Koh-tee-guy-eh-shee) |
| Wrist throw | |
| Kyu | (Cue) |
| Aikido rank or grade | |
| Ma-ai | (May-eye) |
| The distance between uke and tori – generally the closest safe distance where you cannot be hit. Translates as “harmony of space” | |
| Mate | (Mah-tay) |
| Wait | |
| Men | (Men) |
| Face or head | |
| Menuchi | (Men-oo-chee) |
| Strike to the head | |
| Morote-dori | (Moh-roh-tay-doe-ree) |
| Attack holding one wrist or forearm with both hands | |
| Nage | (Nah-gay) |
| Throw (or the person who throws) | |
| Nidan | (Nee-dan) |
| 2nd degree black belt | |
| Obi | (Oh-bee) |
| Belt | |
| Omote | (Oh-moe-tay) |
| Moving forward | |
| Randori | (Ran-doo-ri) |
| Multiple person attack | |
| Rei | (Ray) |
| Bow | |
| Ryote | (Ree-oh-tay) |
| Both hands | |
| Sensei | (Sen-say) |
| Teacher | |
| Seiza | (Say-zah) |
| Kneeling - the formal sitting posture whilst in the Dojo | |
| Shihan | (She-han) |
| Master teacher – generally a reserved title for teachers 6th Dan or above. With some organisations this title can only be bestowed by the Hombu (the world Aikido headquarters in Japan) | |
| Shiho | (She-ho) |
| Four directions | |
| Shihonage | (She-ho-hah-gay) |
| Four directional throw | |
| Shodan | (Show-dan) |
| 1st degree black belt | |
| Shomen | (Show-men) |
| Front or top of head | |
| Shomenuchi | (Show-men-oo-chee) |
| Strike down on top of the head | |
| Suburi | (Sue-boo-ree) |
| A single movement using the ken or jo – done as a single practice | |
| Suwari waza | (Sue-wah-ree-wah-zah) |
| Kneeling techniques | |
| Tai no Henko | (Tie-no-hen-ko) |
| Basic blending practice – tenkan (turning) exercise | |
| Tai Sabaki | (Tie-say-back-ee) |
| Body movement | |
| Tanden | (Tahn-den) |
| The point in your body just below your navel. Also referred to a “one point” or “hara” | |
| Tanto | (Tan-toe) |
| Wooden knife | |
| Tatami | (Tat-tah-mee) |
| Mat or flooring used in traditional Japanese-style rooms or Dojo | |
| Te | (Tay) |
| Hand | |
| Te kubi | (Tay-koo-be) |
| Wrist | |
| Tenchi | (Ten-shee) |
| Heaven and Earth | |
| Position of the hands so that one is up (Ten = Heaven) and one is down (Chi = Earth) | |
| Tenchinage | (Ten-shee-nah-gay) |
| Heaven and Earth throw | |
| Tenkan | (Ten-kahn) |
| To turn | |
| Tsuki | (Skee) |
| Thrust or punch | |
| Uchi | (oo-chee) |
| To strike | |
| Uke | (Oo-kay) |
| Person being attacked and receiving the technique | |
| Ukemi | (Oo-kem-me) |
| The art of receiving the technique and falling safely so as to prevent injury – this includes rolling and break falls. The tori (person throwing or applying the technique) must take into account the ukemi ability of his partner, as well as the physical space: walls, weapons on the tatami, and other Aikidoka nearby. | |
| Ura | (Oo-rah) |
| Moving behind | |
| Ushiro | (oo-she-row) |
| Back, behind or rear | |
| Waza | (Wah-zah) |
| Techniques | |
| Yame | (Yah-may) |
| Stop | |
| Yokomen | (Yoh-ko-men) |
| Side of the head/neck | |
Useful Phrases |
|
| Hello | |
| Konnichi Wa | (Kon-knee-chee-wa) |
| Good-bye | |
| Sayonara | (Sigh-yoh-nah-rah) |
| Thank-you | |
| Arigato Gozaimasu | (Ah-ree-gah-toe go-zah-ee-mahss) |
| May I practice with you/ I make a request | |
| Onegai Shimasu | (Oh-nigh-guy-she-mahss) |
| Thank you very much for what you have done/taught – usually said at the end of class | |
| Domo arigato Gozaimashita | (Doe-moe-ah-ree-gah-toe Go-Zah-ee-mah-she-tah) |