Author: Eric Olson

Constructed with information from the Aikido FAQ Glossary, Martial Arts Dictionary, "GJ terms sheet" and my own personal experience.
More dictionaries and info can be found in the MA resource page

Martial Arts:

• Do: The way (path to self enlightenment).

• Jitsu: Techniques of (Fighting Art).

• Aikido: "Way of spirit and harmony" A martial art featuring locking, moving, throwing, and harmonizing.

• Aikijitsu: Similar to aikido, with emphasis on technique.

• Bujutsu: Fighting arts of the warrior class of Japan.

• Bushido: Way of the warrior.

• Goshin Jitsu: The techniques of Self Defense.

• Goshin: Self defense ("protection of the body").

• Judo: A martial sport featuring throwing.: Literally, "gentle way", referring to giving way in order to gain victory.

• Jujitsu: A martial art style featuring throwing & locking "Gentle (yielding) fighting art"

• Karate: A martial arts style featuring strikes, "empty hand".

• Kempo: Fist way.

• Kendo: Japanese sword fighting (sport).

• Kodokan: Headquarters of Judo in Japan.: Literally, "school for studying the way".

• Tae Kwon Do: Korean martial art/sport featuring striking,"The way of hand and foot".

Miscellaneous:

• Dan: Rank of black belt; 1st dan is the lowest, 10th the highest.

• Dihue: Assistant, (red stripe in GJ).

• Dojo: Exercise hall, the place where one practices the martial arts.

• Fudo-shin: "Immovable mind", calm yet undistracted & aware.

• Gi: Uniform for practicing martial arts.

• Hajimae: Begin.

• Hara: one's center of mass, place of origin for one's Ki.

• Kake: Application of the technique.

• Kamae: Posture.

• Kara: Empty.

• Kata: Stylized form, pre-arranged techniques.

• Katsu: Revival techniques. (Kapo)

• Keosuke: Attention (Kitskay).

• Kapo: Healing arts.

• Ki: Spirit, Vital energy.

• Kiai: Shout or yell with vital energy (ki).

• Kihon: Basic.

• Kime: Focus.

• Kumite: Sparring.

• Kuzushi: Unbalancing.

• Kyu: Grade under black belt; 10th kyu is the lowest and 1st the highest.

• Kyusho-jitsu: Pressure point strikes.

• Ma-ai: Distance.

• Matae: Stop.

• Mushin: Mind of no mind, thoughtless action.

• Nage no kata: Formalized throws.

• Obi: Belt.

• Randori: Free practice (judo sparring).

• Rei: Bow.

• Ryu: Style of school or martial art.

• Seiza: Sitting position.

• Sempai: Senior.

• Sensei-ni: Face toward instructor.

• Sensei: Teacher ("The One Who is Born Before").

• Shiai: Contest.

• Shihan: Master instructor (4th-5th Dan).

• Sutemi: Sacrifice, purposeful fall.

• Tori: Defender, demonstrator of technique.

• Tsukuri: Stepping into the throw.

• Uchikomi: Repeated practice of throwing techniques.

• Ukemi: Falling and rolling exercises.

• Uki: Attacker, to whom techniques are done.

• Waza: Technique.

• Yoi: Ready.

• Zanshin: "Remaining mind/heart", preservation of mental attitude and awareness (esp. after a technique)

• Zazen: Sitting meditation.

• Zen: 1. Buddhist sect.: 2. Religious meditation.

• Japanese numbers 1-10: Ichi (Sho), Ni, San, Shi, Go, Roku, Shichi, Hachi, Ku, Ju.

Descriptive Words:

• Age: Rising.

• Ashi: Foot/leg.

• Chudan: Middle (of body, i.e. torso).

• Empi: Elbow.

• Eri: Lapel.

• Gedan: Lower, waist or below.

• Gyaku: Reverse.

• Hadari: Left.

• Haisoku: Instep.

• Haitto: Ridge hand (first knuckle of thumb and side of hand).

• Hittsui: Knee.

• Hon: Fingers.

• Irimi waza: Entering techniques.

• Jodan: Upper, shoulders or above.

• Juji: Cross, (number 10 is written as X.)

• Kakato: Heel.

• Kata: Shoulder.

• Koho: Backwards.

• Koshi: 1. Hip.: 2. Ball of the foot.

• Kote: Back of the hand, "armor plate covering hand" (also Haishu)

• Mae: Front.

• Migi: Right (side).

• Mikazuki: Crescent.

• Moro: Doubled.

• Necho: Cat.

• Nuki: escape.

• Ryo: multiple (two on two)

• Shuto: Knife-edge hand (little-finger side of palm).

• Soto: Outside (of opponent's stance).

• Tanden: Point just below the navel.

• Te: Hand.

• Tenkan: turning, 180 degree turn.

• Tenshin: closing, 45 degree turn away from attack.

• Ude Forearm. Ushiro: Rear.

• Yama: Mountain.

• Yoko: Side.

• Zempo: Forward.

Partial List of Technique Names

Dachi wasa: Stances.

• Fudo dachi: Rooted stance.

• Kiba dachi: Horse stance.

• Kokutsu dachi: Back stance.

• Kumite dashi: Fighting stance.

• Necho ashi dachi: Cat stance.

• Zenkatsu dachi: Forward stance.

Uke wasa: Blocking techniques.

• Chudan uke: Middle block

• Irimi uke: entering block (stance opens to uke)

• Juji uke: X-block.

• Jodan age uke: High rising block.

• Soto uke: outside block (outside uke)

• Gedan barai: Low sweeping block (catch).

• Te uke: Hand block (brush block).

• Tenshin: closing block (stance turns away from uke)

• Ude uki: Forearm block.

• Uchi uke: inside block (inside uke).

Atemi waza: (uchi waza) Striking techniques.

• Tsuki: Punch; knuckle strike with first two knuckles only.

• Choku tsuki: Straight punch, (lead arm) jab.

• Gyaku tsuki: Reverse punch, (back arm) cross.

• Empi uchi: Elbow strike.

• Haitto uchi: Ridge hand strike (rabbit punch).

• Kagi tsuki: Hook punch.

• Seiken uchi: Forefist strike (punch).

• Shotei uchi: Palm heel strike

• Shuto uchi: Knife hand strike.

• Tettsui uchi: Hammer fist strike.

Keri waza: (geri) Kicking techniques.

• Hittsui geri: Knee strike (upward, side).

• Mae geri: Front kick. (kekomi = thrust)

• Mawashi geri: Roundhouse/circular kick.

• Ushiro geri: back kick (mule kick).

• Yoko geri: Side kick.

Nage-waza: Throwing techniques.

• Tachi-waza: Standing throwing techniques.

• Ashi kubi nage: ankle grab throw.

• De ashi harai: Forward foot sweep.

• Drop Seoinage: Ippon from knees.

• Hane goshi: Hip spring.

• Harai goshi: Hip sweep.

• Hiza guruma: Knee wheel .

• Hiza nage: Knee throw, leg tackle.

• Ippon Seoi Nage: One-armed shoulder throw.

• Irimi nage: Entering throw.

• Kaiten nage: rotary throw.

• Kani basami: Leg scissors throw (Kane Sute).

• Kata guruma: Shoulder wheel throw.

• Kata jime: Shoulder lock throw, (ude garami).

• Kokyu nage: Breath throw.

• Kosoto gari: Minor outer reaping throw.

• Kouchi gari: Minor inner reaping throw.

• Morote seoi nage: Two arm shoulder throw.

• O goshi: Major hip throw.

• Okuri ashi harai: Foot sweep.

• Osoto gari: Major outer reaping throw.

• Ouchi gari: Major inner reaping throw.

• Seoi Goshi: Back-carry hip throw.

• Shiho nage: 4 direction throw, duck under kata garami.

• Siuendo: Hip displacement throw.

• Soto makikomi: Outer winding throw.

• Soto Gama: Outside sickle

• Sukui nage: Scooping throw.

• Sumi gaeshi: Corner throw.

• Sumi otoshi: Corner drop.

• Tai otoshi: Body drop.

• Te guruma: Hand wheel (kata guruma).

• Tomoe nage: Stomach throw.

• Tsurikomi goshi: Lifting-pulling hip throw.

• Tawara gaeshi: Barrel throw, uki waza with head lock.

• Uchi mata: Inner thigh throw.

• Ude garami: Arm entanglement, fig. 4 takedown (shigarami)

• Ude otoshi: Arm drop, arm whip.

• Uki goshi: Floating hip throw.

• Uki otoshi: Floating drop.

• Uki waza: Floating throw.

• Yama Arashi: Mountain storm, backwards ogoshi.

Tuite: General term for locking/grappling

• Gyaku Kote jime: lock with fingers pushed back.

• Ikkyo: Ulna press, straight arm bar with arm/wrist on opponent's elbow.

• Kote gaeshi: wrist out turn (palm up and knife edge turned out)

• Kote mawaeshi: wrist in turn (thumb down and thumb edge turned out),

• also chicken wing arm/lock/hold down (ude mawaeshi).

• Kote jime: lock with palm pushed toward wrist.

• Nikkyo: lock with hand pined and wrist turned in (elbow bent).

• Sankyo: lock with forearm vertical and wrist turned in.

• Tuite: lock with fingers stretched back wrist turned in.

Katame waza: Grappling and ground-fighting techniques. (Ne-waza).

Shime wasa: Choking techniques (strangle/constriction).

• Do jime: leg-scissors on short ribs.

• Juji jime: Half cross choke.

• Kataha jime: Single wing choke.

• Gyaku juji jime: Reverse cross choke. (thumbs in)

• Hadaka jimi: Naked choke.

• Ichimonji jimi: Straight-line choke, grip long & short.

• (Nami) juji jime: Normal cross choke. (fingers in)

Osae komi waza: Hold-down techniques.

• Ashigarame jime: grapevine leg stretch from countered choke.

• Ebi garame: Lobster entanglement, turn over & constrict leg.

• Gyaku juji gatame: Cross-body hold on back (choke).

• Juji gatame: Cross-body arm bar through legs and across hips.

• Kansetsu waza: Joint locking techniques.

• Kata gatame: Shoulder hold.

• Kesa gatame: Scarf hold.

• Kote Henri: sankyo-like hold down.

• Sankaku gatame: 3 corner hold/choke, figure 4 with legs.

• Shio gatame: Four-corner hold.

• Tatsumaki gatame: Dragon tail hold, (choke/arm bar).

• Ude gatame: Arm Crush, arm bar across neck & chest.

• Ude osae: arm pin.

• Ude nobashi: "Golf" position wrist press.

• Waki gatame: Armpit hold/arm bar

• Karada Magaru: turn over techniques

• Diichi karada magaru: (Ude) arm drag turnover.

• Daini karada magaru: (Kata) shoulder/chicken-wing turnover.

• Daisan karada magaru: (Empi) Arm bar lever turnover.