Basic Terminology

Numbers in Japanese

• 1 – ichi
• 2 – ni
• 3 – san
• 4 – shi/yon
• 5 – go
• 6 – roku
• 7 – shichi/nana
• 8 – hachi
• 9 – kyu/ku
• 10 – juu

Attacks

Strikes (uchi/tsuki)

• shomen (uchi) – vertical attack to head
• yokomen (uchi) – diagonal attach to the head/neck
• tsuki – punch
• geri/keri – kick
• jōdan – upper level → head/neck
• chūdan – middle level → torso/chest/abdomen
• gedan – lower level → groin/legs

Grabs (tori/dori)

• katate dori – wrist grab
• ryōte dori – both hands grab both wrists
• morote dori – both hands gran one wrist
• kata tori – shoulder grab
• mune dori – grab of the chest/lapel
• ushiro ryōte dori – grab both wrists from behind.
• ushiro eri dori – grab the collar from behind.
• ushiro kubi shime – choke/strangle from behind.

Techniques

• irimi nage – entering throw
• kote gaeshi – wrist turn-out
• koshi nage / hip throw – hip throw
• nage waza – throwing techniques
• kaeshi waza – counter techniques
• katame waza – pinning techniques
• uchi waza – striking techniques
• sumi otoshi – corner throw (back corner)
• kaiten otoshi – corner throw (above the shoulder)
• maki otoshi – corner throw (front corner)

Movements & Positions

• hanmi – stance
  • ai hamni – same foot forward
  • gyaku hanmi - opposite foot forward (mirror image stance)
  • hidari hammi - left foot forward
  • migi hanmi - right foot forward
• maai – distance
• tai sabaki – body movement
• irimi – entering movement
• tenkan – pivot
• suwari waza – sitting techniques

Body parts

• men – head
• kubi – neck
• kata – shoulder
• koshi – hips
• ashi – leg or foot
• mune – chest
• te – hand
• wrist – kote/kubite
• hiji – elbow

Dojo & Etiquette

• dojo – martial arts school
• gi – uniform
• hakama – uniform pants
• kamiza or shomen – the “center” of the dojo where there is usually a scroll and/or a picture of O-sensei
• rei – bow
• seiza – formal sitting
• shikko – knee walking

People & Roles

• sensei – teacher/instructor
• sempai – senior student
• kohai – junior student
• nage/tori – defender
• uke – attacker
• O-sensei / kaiso-sensei – the honorific titles of Morihei Ueshiba
• yudansha – black belt degree
• kyudansha – before black belt levels

Useful phrases

• hai – yes
• iie – no
• dōmo – thank you (informal)
• arigatō – thank you (casual)
• arigatō gozaimasu – thank you (formal, used during practice)
• arigatō gozaimashita – thank you (formal, said after practice)
• domo arigato mister roboto – a song by American rock band Styx released in 1983. Thanks to it, the phrase "domo arigato" entered the American vernacular.
• onegai shimasu – please (used before practice; “please train with me”)
• yame – stop
• hajime – begin / start
• tatte – stand up
• suwatte – sit down
• kudasai – please (polite request, e.g., suwatte kudasai = “please sit down”)
• otsukaresama deshita – said at the end of practice; roughly, “thank you for your hard work” / “good job today”

Weapons

• bokken – wooden sword
• jo – short staff
• tanto – knife