Vocabulary

As the vocabulary used in Japanese martial arts is complex, you will find here a recap of the main Japanese words in use. It is definitely a lot to remember, but with time, most of them will just become usual.

A

Age Uke (揚げ受け ) – Rising block
Ashi waza (足技・業 ) – Foot and leg techniques
Atama (頭 ) – Head
Atemi (当身 ) – Strike
Atemi　waza (当身業・技 ) – Striking Techniques

B

Bojutsu (棒術 ) – Staff-art. Sometimes taught in classical jujutsu schools, depending on the system
Budo (武道 ) – Martial ways (literally “way(s) of war)
Bugei (武芸 ) – Martial crafts (Another way of referring to Japanese martial arts)
Bujutsu (武術 ) – Martial arts (Yet another interchangeable term for Japanese martial art)

C

Chu (中 ) – Middle
Chudan (中段 ) – Mid level

D

Dan (段 ) – Level
De Ashi Barai (出足払い ) – Advancing Foot Sweep
Deshi (弟子 ) – Student of a system
Do/Michi (道 ) – (the) Way
Dojo (道場 ) – Place of practice
Dori (Toru) (取り・捕り ) – To grab or capture.

E

Empi Uchi (エンピ・燕飛打ち ) – Elbow strike

G

Gedan (下段 )　- Low level (below belt)
Gi – Training Uniform (abbreviated from “dogi” of “keikogi”)
Gyaku (逆 )- Reverse (Can also refer to some Kansetsu waza where the joint is reversed, ex: Gyaku Kote Gaeshi)
Gyaku Tsuki (逆突き ) – Reverse punch

H

Hadaka Jime (裸締め ) – Naked strangle
Harai (払い ) – Sweeping
Hidari (左 ) – Left
Hiza (膝 ) – Knee
Hiza geri (膝蹴り ) – Knee strike/kick

I

Ichi　(一 ) – One
Ippon Seoi Nage (一本背負い投げ ) – One arm shoulder throw
Irimi (入り身 ) – Entering

J

Jiyu Kumite (自由組み手 ) – Free sparring
Jodan (上段 ) – High/Upper level
Jodan Uke (上段受け ) – High block
Juji (十字 ) – Cross (Literal translation: Figure ten. In Japanese, ten is 十 )
Juji Gatame (十字固め ) – Cross lock/armbar
Juji Jime (十字締め ) – Cross choke
Juji Uke (十字受け）- Cross block
Jujutsu (柔術 ) – The gentle art
Jutsu (術 ) – Art or technique

K

Kaiten (回転 ) – Rotation
Kakato (踵 ) – Heel
Kake – The point at which a throw will take it’s maximal effect
Kamae (構え ) – Posture (or stance)
Kani basami (蟹鋏 ) – Throw by scissors
Kansetsu (関節 ) – Joint Locking
Kansetsu waza (関節技・業 ) – Joint Locking techniques
Kata (形・型 ) – Pre arranged stylized techniques
Kata (肩 ) – Shoulder
Kata-gatame (肩固め ) – Shoulder pin
Kata-guruma (肩車 ) – Shoulder wheel
Kata-ha-jime (片羽締め ) – Single wing strangle
Katame (固め ) – Lock/Hold
Katame Waza (固め技・業 ) – Joint locking/immobilizing techniques.
Kappo/Katsu (活法・活 ) – Resucitation & revival techniques
Keri (蹴り ) – Kick
Keri waza (蹴り技・業 ) – Kicking techniques
Kiai (気合 ) – Shout with vital energy
Kime (決め ) – Focus
Ko (小 ) – Minor/small
Kohai (後輩 ) – Beginner or junior student in the dojo
Ko-soto-gari/gake (小外刈り・掛け )- Minor/small outer reap/prop
Kote Gaeshi (小手返し ) – Wrist turnout lock/throw
Ko-uchi-gari/gake (小内刈り・掛け ) – Minor inner reap/prop
Koshi (腰 )- Hip (when used first in a throw name)
Koshi guruma (腰車 ) – Hip wheel throw
Kubi (首 ) – Neck
Kubi Nage (首投げ ) – Neck throw
Kumite (組み手 ) – Sparring
Kuzushi (崩し ) – Unbalancing
Kyu (級 ) – Coloured belt

M

Mae (前 ) – Front
Mae geri (前蹴り ) – Front kick
Makkikomi (巻き込み ) – Winding throw
Mate (待て ) – Wait
Mawashi-geri (回し・廻し蹴り ) – Roundhouse kick
Mikazuki (三日月 ) – Crescent
Mune (胸 ) – Chest
Mune-gatame (胸固め ) – Chest hold
Mokuso (目閉 ) – Meditation

N

Nage (投げ ) – Throw
Nage　waza (投げ技・業 ) – Throwing techniques
Ni (二 ) – Two

O

O (大 ) – Major/Large
Ogoshi (大腰 ) – Major/Large hip throw
O-guruma (大車 ) – Major/Large Wheel
Omote (表 ) – Front or surface (Can also refer to basic skill sets of techniques in classical jujutsu schools)
O-soto-gari/gake (大外刈・掛け ) – Major/Large outer reap/prop
O-uchi-gari/gake (大内刈・掛け ) – Major inner reap/prop
Otagai-ni-rei (お互いに礼 ) – Mutual bow to all assembled

R

Randori (乱捕り ) – Sparring
Rei (礼 ) – To bow
Reiho (礼法 ) – Etiquette methods. (From dojo to dojo the reiho depends on the school of jujutsu being taught. In Nihon Tai Jitsu, it’s to the shomen then to the teacher and then to each other.)
Roku (六 ) – Six
Ryu (流 ) – School/system of Martial Art. (e.g. Kito-ryu, Takenouchi-ryu, Takagi-ryu)

S

San (三 ) – Three
Seiza (正座 ) – Formal kneeling position
Sensei (先生 ) – Teacher
Sensei-ni-rei (先生に礼 ) – Bow to instructor
Seiken (正拳 ) – Horizontal fist
Sempai (先輩 ) – Senior student(s) in the dojo
Seoi-nage (背負い投げ ) – Shoulder throw
Shi (四 ) – Four (note: yon is usually four, shi is only used in certain situations because “Shi” also means “Death”)
Shichi (七 ) – Seven (note: similar to “shi”, “shichi” is only used in certain situations, otherwise “nana” if more commonly used)
Shihan (師範 ) – Master
Shime (締め ) – Choke/strangle
Shime-waza (締め技・業 ) – Strangulation techniques
Shomen (正面 ) – Front (Also used to refer to the front of the dojo)
Shomen-Ni-Rei (正面に礼 ) – Bowing to the front of the dojo
Soto (外 ) – Outer/outside
Sutemi (捨て身 ) – Sacrifice
Sutemi-Waza (捨て身技・業 ) – Sacrifice techniques

T

Tai (体 ) – The Chinese reading for body
Tai-otoshi (体落とし ) – Body drop throw
Tai-sabaki (体捌き ) – Body Movement
Tanren (鍛錬) – training. The characters imply the ideo of forging the body and removing its impurities through practice
Tanto (短刀 ) – Dagger (one of the weapons jujutsu was originally designed to defend against)
Tatami (畳 ) – Mat
Tate (立て ) – Vertical　(Can also mean to stand)
Te (手 ) – hand
Tori (捕り・取り ) – Defender in a demonstration.
Tsuki (突き ) – Punch or thrust with a weapon.

U

Uchi (打ち ) – Strike
Uchi (内 ) – Inside/inner
Ude (腕 ) – Arm
Ude-kansetsu-waza (腕関節技・業 ) – Arm locking techniques
Uke (受け・請け ) – Recieve/reciever (ie, opponent to tori in a demonstration)
Ukemi (受身 ) – Breakfalling (literally uke = “to recieve”)
Uki-goshi (浮き腰 ) – Floating hip throw
Ura (裏 ) – Reverse or underside
Ura-ken (裏拳 ) – Backfist strike
Ushiro (後ろ ) – Rear
Ushiro-dori (後ろ取り・捕り ) – Attack from behind

W

Waki (脇 ) – Side (Can also refer to the armpit)
Wakibara (脇腹 ) – Flank/floating ribs (Literally: Side stomach)
Waki-Gatame (脇固め ) – Side armlock using the armpit for leverage
Waza (技・業 ) – Technique

Y

Yame! (止め！ ) – Stop!
Yoko (横 ) – Side
Yoko Geri (横蹴り ) – Side kick
Yon (四 ) – Four