A
Ago (あご) jaw, chin
Aiki Jinja (合気神社) Aiki Shrine in Iwama, Japan
Aiki Jinja Rei Taisai (合気神社例大祭) Grand Festival of Aiki, commemoration on 29 April at the Aiki Jinja
Arigato (有り難う) thank you (informal)
Arigato gozaimashita (有り難うございました) thank you very much (formal past)
Arigato gozaimasu (有り難うございます) thank you very much (formal non-past)
Ashi (足) leg, foot
Ashikubi (足首) ankle
Atama (頭) head
Atemi (当て身) strike (to a vital point)
B
Bokken (木剣) wooden sword
Bokuto (木刀) wooden sword
Budo (武道) martial way
Budoka (武道家) someone who follows a martial way
Budokan (武道館) hall for martial arts
Bujin (武人) martial person
Buki (武器) weapon
Bukiwaza (武器技) weapons technique(s)
C
Chudan (中段) mid level
Chudan zuki (中段突き) mid level thrust (chest)
D
Dan: step, degree (black belt rank)
Do: way
Dogi: way clothes, training uniform
Dojo: place of the way, training hall
Dojo cho: dojo head instructor
Domo arigato: thank you
Domo arigato gozaimashita: Thank you very much indeed (past)
Domo arigato gozaimasu: Thank you very much indeed (non-past)
-dori: Verb: toru- to take, to grasp
Doshu: Head of the Way, hereditary title of eldest son of the Ueshiba family
E
Embu: demonstration
Eri: collar, lapel
Eri jime: collar strangle
F
Fukuro shinai (袋竹刀) bamboo and leather practice sword
Fudoshin (不動心) unmoving spirit
Funagogi undo (船漕ぎ運動) boat rowing exercise
G
-gaeshi/kaeshi: reverse, turnover, sweep
Ganmen: face
Ganseki otoshi: dropping rocks and stones technique
Garamu: verb; twist up
-gatame/katame: to control, maintain
Gedan: low level
-geri/keri: kick
Go: five
Godan: fifth dan (black blet)
Gokyu: fifth kyu
Gomen nasai: I am sorry
Gyaku: opposite
H
Hachi: eight
Hachidan: eighth dan
Hai: yes
Hajime: start
Hakama: pleated trousers
Hanmi: half body
Hanmi handachi: one person standing and one person sitting
Happo: Eight directions
Happo giri: Eight directional cuts
Hara: abdomen, belly
Hasso no kamae: stance with the weapon held vertically at right shoulder
Henkawaza: variation
Hidari: left
Hiji: elbow
Hito emi: person's shadow
Hiza: knee
Hyaku: hundred
I
Ikkyo: first learning
Ikkyu: first kyu
In: yin, negative/inclusive principle
Irimi: entering
Iriminage: entering throw
J
Jiyu geiko: free training
Jiyu waza: freestyle techniques
Jo: staff
Jo dori: staff taking, disarming
Jo nage: staff retention
Jodan: upper level
Jodan no kamae: stance with weapon held above forehead
Jodan zuki: upper level thrust
Ju: ten
Juji: figure ten (cross shape)
Juji nage: cross shaped throw
Jutsu: art
K
Kaeshi waza: reversal technique, counter
Kaiten: revolve, turn, spin
Kaiten nage: revolving throw
Kakato: heel
Kamae: stance, posture, attitude
Kami: deity
Kami dana: shrine (shelf of the divine)
Kamiza: upper seat (area designated for seniors in the dojo)
Kangeiko: cold training, midwinter training
Kansetsu: joint
Kansetsu waza: joint tecnique
Kata: form
Kata: single
Kata: shoulder
Kata dori: shoulder grab
Katame waza: imobilising technique, pin
Katana: Japanese sword
Katate: one hand
Katate dori: one hand grab
Keiko: training
Keikogi: training clothes
Ken: sword
Keri: kick
Kesa: buddhist robe
Kesa giri: to cut diagonally along the lapel
Ki: life force
Kiai: harmonised energy, energetic shout
Kihon: basic
Kimusubi: tying together of energy
Ki no nagare: flowing with ki, fluid techniques
Kiri: cut
Kissaki: tip of the sword blade
Kiza: kneeling on heels with toes rolled under
Ko: small
Kodachi: small sword
Hohai: junior
Kokoro: heart, spirit
Kokoro gamae: attitude
Kokyu: breath, timing
Kokyu ho: breath method/exercise
Kokyu nage: breath/timing throw
Koryu: old school
Koryu bujutsu: pre-modern martial arts
Konbanwa: good evening
Konnichiwa: hello
Kosa dori: cross-hand grip
Koshi: hip
Koshi ita: back-plate of hakama
Koshi nage: hip throw
Kotai: firm
Kotai: change roles
Kote: wrist
Kote gaeshi: wrist twist
Kotodama: the study of the mystical power of language
Ku: emptiness, void
Ku: nine
Kubi: neck
Kubi nage: neck throw
Kuchi: mouth
Kudasai: please
Kuden: oral transmission, (secret) intergenerational spoken instruction
Kumi jo: paired staff routine
Kyu: nine
Kyu: level (pre black belt rank)
Kyusho: vital point
M
Maai: spacing
Mae: front
Mae ukemi: forward roll
Maki: wrap
Massugu: straight
Men: face
Menkyo: license
Migi: right
Mimi: ear
Misogi: purification
Mo ichido onegaishimasu: "once more please"
Mokuso: concentration, meditation
Morote dori: two hands grabbing one
Mudansha: someone who does not have a black belt
Mukyu: without rank
Muna dori: chest grab
Mune: chest
Musubi: tie up, knot, unite (birthing)
Mute: without hands
N
Nagare: flowing
Nage: throw, thrower
Nageru: verb; to throw
Naka: inside
Nana: seven
Nanadan: seventh dan
Naname: diagonal
Ne waza: ground techniques
Ni: two
Nidan: second dan
Nikyo: second learning
Nikyu: second kyu
O
Obi: belt
Okuden: deep transimission
Omote: front
Omote waza: techniques that are revealed to the public
Onegaishimasu: Please help me
Osaeru: verb; to hold, to restrain
Osae waza: pinning technique
Otagae ni rei: "bow to one another"
Otosu: verb; to drop
Owarimasu: verb; finish
Oyasumi nasai: good night
Oyowaza: applied technique
R
Randori: random attacks
Rei: bow
Reigi: etiquette
Riai: integrity of principles
Ritsurei: standing bow
Roku: six
Rokkyo: sixth learning
Rokkyu: sixth kyu
Rokudan: sixth dan
Ryokata: both shoulders
Ryokatadori: both shoulders grabbed
Ryote: both hands
Ryotedori: both hands grabbed
Ryu: school, system
S
Sabaki: action, motion
San: three
Sandan: third dan
Sankaku: triangle
Sankaku jime: triangular strangle
Sankyo: third learning
Sankyu: third kyu
Satori: awakening, enlightenment
Saya: scabbard
Sayonara: good bye
Sayu: right and left
Seigan: pure sight
Seigan no kamae (正眼の構え) stance with butt of weapon at centre and tip at chin height
Seika tanden: point at the centre of gravity in the lower abdomen
Senaka: back
Seiza: kneeling (correct sitting)
Sempai: senior
Sensei: teacher
Sensei ni rei: "bow to the teacher"
Shaku: unit of measurement - approximately 300mm
Shi: four
Shidoin: instructor
Shiho: four direction
Shiho giri: four directional strike
Shihonage: four directional throw
Shihan: master teacher
Shikkou: knee walking (膝行)
Shime: strangle, choke
Shime waza: strangulation techniques
Shinai: bamboo sword
Shinsaiin: Grading panel
Shinsaiin ni rei: "bow to the grading panel"
Shita: down
Shizen: natural
Shizen tai: natural stance, feet shoulder width apart
Shodan: first dan
Shomen: centre of head
Shomen: front of the dojo
Shomen ni rei: "bow to the front"
Shomen uchi: strike to the centre of the head
Shoshinsha: beginner
Shugyo: intensive training
Shuriken: throwing blades
Sode: sleeve
Sodeguchi: opening of cuff
Soke: headmaster of particular koryu (classical Japanese martial arts)
Soto: outside
Soto deshi: student living away from dojo
Suburi: solo weapons exercise
Sumimasen: excuse me, pardon me
Sumi otoshi: corner drop
Sutemiwaza: sacrafice technique
Suwariwaza: seated technique
T
Tachi: sword
Tachi dori: sword taking technique
Tachiwaza: standing techniques
Taijutsu: body art, unarmed technique(s)
Tai no henka: preliminary partnered turning exercise
Tai sabaki: body movement
Tanden: elixir field, three focal points for energy, in the lower abdomen, the chest and the forehead
Taninzu gake: multiple attackers
Tanken: dagger
Tanken dori: knife taking, disarming
Tanren: forging
Tanren uchi: forging the body through mulitple strikes against a resilient target
Tanto: dagger
Tanto dori: knife taking, disarming
Tate no kamae: stance with jo standing vertically in front of the body
Tekubi: wrist
Te: hand
Te no hira: palm of hand
Tegatana: blade of hand (hand sword)
Ten: heaven
Tenchinage: heaven and earth throw
Tenkan: Pivot
Tenugui: multi-purpose towel/scarf
Tobu ukemi: flying fall, high-fall
Tori: verb; to take, hold, grab, the person who grabs
Tsuba: hand gaurd of sword
Tsuki: thrust, stab, punch
Tsuki no kamae: stance with staff horizontal at centre height
U
Uchi: inside
Uchi: strike
Uchi deshi: aprrentice, student living in the dojo
Ude: arm
Ude jime: elbow lock
Ue: up
Uke: receiver
Ukemi: receiving body, safe falling
Ura: rear
Ushiro: back
Ushiro ukemi: backward roll
Ushirowaza: techniques from behind
W
Wakarimasen: I dont understand
Wakarimashita: I understand
Wakizashi: short sword (sword thrust into the side)
Waki no kamae: stance with sword at right side, tip back
Waza: technique
Y
Yame: stop
Yari: spear
Yawara: old term for grappling/throwing
Yo: yang, positive/expansive principle
Yoi: ready
Yoko: side
Yoko ukemi: side roll
Yokomen: side of head, temple
Yokomenuchi: strike to side of head/neck
Yondan: Fourth dan
Yonkyo: fourth learning
Yonkyu: fourth kyu
Yubi: finger
Yukkuri: slowly
Z
Zanshin: remaining spirit
Zarei: seated bow
Zazen: seated meditation
Zengo: front and back
Zengo giri: cutting front and back
Zenshin: whole body
Zori: sandals