The following is a list of Japanese terms. It is important to your practice of Aikido that you have
a basic understanding of these definitions. Quotation marks indicate words of the founder.
| Ai |
Harmony, unity, to join or become
one with. |
| Ki |
Spirit; the life force or vital energy; the
essence of universal creative energy. |
| Do |
The way or Path. “The Way means to be
one with the Will of the Universe and
embody its function. If you are even
slightly apart from it, it is no longer the
Way.” |
| Atemi Waza |
Techniques of striking. |
| Bokken |
Wooden practice sword. |
| Budo |
Literally to stop the thrusting spear. “A mind to serve for the peace of all humanity is
needed in Aikido, not the mind of one who
wishes to be strong and only practices to
defeat an opponent. There are neither
opponents nor enemies for true Budo.
Therefore to compete in techniques, winning
or losing, is not true Budo. True Budo
knows no defeat. Never defeated means
never fighting.” |
| Bushido |
The way of chivalry. |
| Deai |
The moment of truth. The moment
of the meeting of two forces. |
| Deshi |
Student |
| Dojo |
The place where the way is revealed.
A place for the strengthening and
refinement of spirit, mind and body. |
| Hakama |
Wide skirted pants worn over the gi.
You will be expected to wear hakama
(dark blue or black) after receiving the
6th kyu grade. |
| Hanmi |
The relaxed triangular stance of Aikido.
It is stable yet flexible enough to move
quickly in any direction. All technique
begins, moves through and ends in hanmi. |
| Hanmi Handachi |
Techniques practiced with nage sitting and
uke standing. |
| Hara |
The lower abdomen. The center of life
energy, physical and spiritual. All
movement must originate from this point. |
| Irimi |
Entering, moving into and through the line
of attack with no thought of escape. |
| Jiyu Waza |
Free technique. In testing usually against
one opponent. |
| Jo |
Short staff. |
| Jo dori |
Techniques of staff taking. |
| Kamae |
A posture or stance of readiness. In each
kamae there are different positions for
the hands or weapon. Jodan – high
position; Chudan – middle position;
Gedan – lower position. |
| Kannagara |
The Stream of God. The flow of creative
energy which reaches from the past into the
future. |
| Katana |
Japanese sword. |
| Keiko |
Study or practice. The deeper meaning
is to return to the origin. Through the study
of the past and appreciation for its
experience we can understand the present
and refine our spirit. |
| Kiai |
The release of spiritual and physical power
in the form of a piercing scream originating
in the hara. |
| Kohai |
Junior student. Those who begin their study
of Aikido after you. You owe them your
help and support. |
| Koki |
Self-challenge |
| Ko-shin |
Light Divine |
| Kokyu |
The power of breath, renewal of life force. |
| Kotodama |
The spiritual function of sound. Every one
syllable sound has its own spiritual
vibration. |
| Kyu |
White belt grade. |
| Maai |
The distance of time and space between two
forces. The movement of the mind, the
stream of spirit and their direction, as well
as physical distance, determines the balance
and proper use of space. |
| Misogi |
Purification of mind, body and spirit.
sweating is misogi; cleaning is misogi;
fasting is misogi; keiko is misogi. |
| Mushin |
No mind, a mind without ego. A mind like
a mirror which reflects and does not judge. |
| Musubi |
Opposites are but different images of the
same reality. Musubi is the process of their unification. It is the movement of the spiral. |
| Nage |
A throw. One who throws. |
| Omote |
To the front. |
| O Sensei |
Great teacher – the title used for the Founder
of Aikido. |
| Randori |
Free technique against multiple attacks. |
| Rei |
To bow. |
| Reigi Rei |
can also be translated as holy spirit;gi as manifestation. When used together
the words mean proper etiquette, respecting
the creative force and spirit which is the
same in all of us. |
| Samurai |
Originally comes from the verb meaning to
Serve. One who has the duty and
responsibility to protect society. |
| Sempai |
Senior student: Those who begin their study
of Aikido before you. You owe them your
respect for their experience. |
| Seiza |
Formal sitting position. |
| Sensei |
Teacher, one who gives guidance along the
way. Literally – born before. |
| Senshin |
A purified heart and spirit; enlightened
attitude. |
| Shikko |
Knee walking. |
| Shomen |
The upper seat, the shrine which houses
the picture of the founder and the spirit of
Aikido. |
| Shinai |
Split bamboo practice sword. |
| Shugyo |
The daily work to refine and purify the
quality of life. |
| Suburi |
Practice with sword or bokken in which the
same cut is repeated again and again. An
excellent purification/meditation exercise. |
| Tachi |
Japanese long sword. |
| Takemusu Aiki |
Enlightened Aikido. “Aiki has a form and
does not have a form. Aiki is a life which
has a form and still flows with change; it
expresses itself by changing itself. A form
without a form is a word in a poem which
expresses the universe limitlessly.” |
| Tanden |
The hara. |
| Tanren |
Training. Suburi is training; kumi tachi is
study ( keiko). |
| Tanto |
Knife. |
| Tenkan |
Turning to dissipate force. |
| Uke |
One who receives. The person being
thrown. |
| Ukemi |
Techniques of falling. The art of protecting
oneself from injury. The first and most
important step to developing strong Aikido
technique is developing good ukemi. |
| Ura |
To the rear. |
| Ushiro |
From behind. |
| Waza |
Technique |
| Yudansha |
Black belt rank holders. |
| Zanshin |
Continuity; remaining aware and prepared
for the next action. |
| |
|
Attacks
|
|
| Dori |
Grab |
| Kata dori |
Shoulder or lapel grab |
| Katate dori |
Wrist grab |
| Kosa dori |
Cross hand grab |
| Kubi shime |
A choke hold |
| Munetsuki |
A straight punch to the chest
or solar plexus |
| Ryote dori |
Grabbing both wrists |
| Ryote mochi |
Grabbing your partners wrist with
both hands |
| Rokata dori |
Grabbing both shoulders |
| Shomenuchi |
Strike or cut to the top of the head |
| Shomentsuki |
Thrust between the eyes |
| Tsuki |
Straight punch or thrust with a
weapon |
| Uchi |
Strike with the edge of the open hand
or cut with a weapon from over the
head |
| Ushiro |
From behind |
| Yokomenuchi |
Strike or cut to the side of the
head or neck |
| |
|
Techniques
|
|
| Gokyo |
Fifth form |
| Ikkyu |
First form |
| Iriminage |
Entering throw |
| Jiyu Waza |
Free technique. In testing usually
against one opponent. |
| Jo dori |
Techniques of staff taking |
| Kaitennage |
Turning or rotating throw |
| Kokyunage |
Breath or rhythm throw |
| Koshinage |
Hip throw |
| Kumi Jo |
Paired jo practice |
| Kumi Tachi |
Paired sword practice |
| Nikyo |
Second form |
| Sanko |
Third form |
| Shihonage |
Four corner throw |
| Suwariwaza |
Techniques which begin with both
opponents in seiza and are executed
from the knees |
| Tachi dori |
Techniques of sword taking |
| Taijutsu |
Empty handed techniques |
| Tanto dori |
Techniques of knife taking |
| Tenchinage |
Heaven and Earth throw |
| Yonko |
Fourth form |
