Aikido Terminology

Front 1

AI

Back 1

Harmony or unification

Front 2

AI HANMI

Back 2

When both people have the same foot forward.

Front 3

GYAKU HANMI

Back 3

When both practitioners have opposite feet forward.

Front 4

AI NUKE

Back 4

Mutual escape.

Front 5

AIKI

Back 5

Blending or harmony.

Front 6

AIKIDO

Back 6

The way of harmony with KI.

Front 7

AIKIDOKA

Back 7

A practitioner of Aikido.

Front 8

AIKITOSHI

Back 8

Entering deeply and picking up ukes side leg.

Front 9

ASHI

Back 9

Leg or foot.

Front 10

ASHI SABAKI

Back 10

Footwork.

Front 11

ATEMI

Back 11

Strike of blow to the body.

Front 12

AWASE

Back 12

Partner practice.

Front 13

AYUMI ASHI

Back 13

Crossing feet. The back foot slides up and becomes the front foot.

Front 14

BO

Back 14

Wooden staff approximately 6' in length.

Front 15

BOKKEN

Back 15

Wooden practice sword, used for suburi, that matches the approximate weight and shape of a real sword. (BUKUTO, KAISUBURITO, SUBURITO, HAKUSUBURITO, JIGGEN SUBURITO)

Front 16

BUDO

Back 16

The martial way.

Front 17

BUSHIDO

Back 17

The way of the warrior.

Front 18

CHUDAN

Back 18

Middle level.

Front 19

CHUKU TSUKI

Back 19

Straight punch.

Front 20

CHUKUSEN

Back 20

Direct. Chukusen no irimi means direct entry.

Front 21

CHUSHIN

Back 21

Center.

Front 22

DAN

Back 22

Black belt rank.

Front 23

DESHI

Back 23

Student or disciple.

Front 24

DO

Back 24

A path, or way. In Japanese DO refers to any of several disciples designed to train practitioner in technical skills which have as their ultimate goal, the perfection of the character/spirit.

Front 25

DOJO

Back 25

Literally, the place of the way.

Front 26

DOJO CHO

Back 26

The Head of the dojo.

Front 27

DOMO ARIGATO GOZAI MASHITA

Back 27

Thank you very much.

Front 28

DOSHU

Back 28

Head of the way.

Front 29

EMPI UCHI

Back 29

Elbow strike.

Front 30

ERI

Back 30

Collar

Front 31

FUKUSHIDOIN

Back 31

Assistant teacher

Front 32

GEASHI (KAESHI)

Back 32

Outword turning movement.

Front 33

GEDAN

Back 33

Lower level

Front 34

GERI

Back 34

Kick

Front 35

GI

Back 35

Training uniform (DO GI/KEIKO GI).

Front 36

GIRI

Back 36

Cut

Front 37

GOKYO

Back 37

Fifth pinning technique.

Front 38

HAI

Back 38

Yes

Front 39

HAKAMA

Back 39

Pleated split skirt worn by practitioners of Kendo, Jujutsu, and Aikido. Also known as Joba Hakama.

Front 40

HANMI

Back 40

Half forward stance/triangular stance in which the upper body faces straight while the feet (one in front, one to the side) form a rough right angle. Hanmi often used interchangeably with Kamae.

Front 41

HANMI HANDACHI

Back 41

Position with Shite sitting and Uke standing.

Front 42

HAPPO

Back 42

8 directions, as in Happo-Giri (8 direction cutting with Ken)

Front 43

HARA

Back 43

One's center of mass.

Front 44

HASSO NO KAMAE

Back 44

Figure 8 stance with either Jo or Ken at the side of the head.

Front 45

HENKA WAZA

Back 45

Varied technique; beginning one technique and changing to another in mid execution.

Front 46

HIDARI

Back 46

Left

Front 47

HIJI SHIME

Back 47

Elbow lock

Front 48

HIRIKI NO YOSEI

Back 48

Elbow power.

Front 49

HITORI WAZA

Back 49

"Invisible partner practice. "

Front 50

HOMBU DOJO

Back 50

A term used to refer to the central dojo of an organization.

Front 51

IKKAJO / IKKYO

Back 51

First controlling technique of Aikido.

Controlling the elbow (armpin).

Front 52

IRIMI

Back 52

Entering

Front 53

IRIMI NAGE

Back 53

Entering throw.

Front 54

IRIMI TENKAN

Back 54

Enter and turn/tenkan. Sometimes called Tai Sabaki.

Front 55

JUYU WAZA

Back 55

Free style practice.

Front 56

JO

Back 56

A wooden short staff (4-5' long) used in Aikido. It is used as a a visible extension of one's technique and personality, as a weapon to be neutralized, or as an instrument of coordination.

Front 57

JUJI

Back 57

Crossing of the hands.

Front 58

JODAN

Back 58

Upper level/position.

Front 59

JUJI GARAMI

Back 59

Cross shaped entanglement.

Front 60

JUSHIN

Back 60

Balance, the center of gravity.

Front 61

JYU WAZA

Back 61

Free style throwing.

Front 62

KAESHI WAZA

Back 62

Countering or escaping techniques.

Front 63

KAITEN

Back 63

Rotary (turning on the spot 180°, feet remaining in place)

Front 64

KAMAE

Back 64

Stance/posture, either with or without a weapon, which reflects combative spirit. Often used interchangeably with Hanmi. Thus Hidari Hanmi is a left three quarter stance. Also used as a command.

Front 65

KAMIZA

Back 65

A small shrine, frequently located at the front of the dojo; the seat of honour.

Front 66

KANJI

Back 66

Japanese or Chinese characters.

Front 67

KENJUTSU

Back 67

Sword art / swordsmanship

Front 68

KENSHO

Back 68

Enlightenment (see MUKOSO & SATORI)

Front 69

KI

Back 69

Vital Force, unified energy of all one's mental, physical, and spiritual powers.

Front 70

KI MUSUBI

Back 70

Connecting KI

Front 71

KIAI

Back 71

A shout delivered for the purpose of focusing all ones energy.

Front 72

KIHON VAZA/DOSA

Back 72

Basic techniques

Front 73

KIRI

Back 73

Cut

Front 74

KIRI OTOSHI

Back 74

Dropping cut.

Front 75

KIRUTSU

Back 75

To stand at attention, heels together and toes at a 45 degree angle. A command.

Front 76

KOHAI

Back 76

A student junior to onself.

Front 77

KOHO KAITEN UKEMI

Back 77

Back rolling breakfalls.

Front 78

KOHO UKEMI

Back 78

Back breakfalls.

Front 79

KOKORO

Back 79

Heart or mind.

Front 80

KOKYU

Back 80

Breath, a state of compatibility with the movements of UKE; "fitting in"; to go with the grain.

Front 81

KOKYU DOSA

Back 81

A pinning technique using or developing your KI/breathing without using your strength.

Front 82

KOKYU RYOKU

Back 82

Breath power.

Front 83

KOKYU-HO

Back 83

Breath meditation; a special set of meditation techniques aimed at calming the spirit and establishing true KOKYU.

Front 84

KOSHI

Back 84

The hips and/or lower back.

Front 85

KOSHITA

Back 85

The back plate of the HAKAMA.

Front 86

KOTE

Back 86

Small hand (run approx. from the base of the thumb to the middle of the forearm).

Front 87

KOTE GAESHI

Back 87

Outward writ twist.

Front 88

KUBI

Back 88

Neck

Front 89

KUMIJO

Back 89

A short, two person exercise with the sword or BOKKEN.

Front 90

KYU

Back 90

Belt colour (any rank below shodan)

Front 91

KYUSHO POINTS

Back 91

Pressure points.

Front 92

MA AI

Back 92

Proper distancing and/or timing.

Front 93

MAE

Back 93

Front

Front 94

MAE UKEMI

Back 94

Front/forward roll.

Front 95

MARUI

Back 95

Circle/round; a principle in AIKIDO techniques.

Front 96

MIGI

Back 96

Right

Front 97

MITSUBUSHI

Back 97

Strike to the eye with the back of the fist.

Front 98

MOCHI

Back 98

To grasp or hold with the hands.

Front 99

MUDANSHA

Back 99

Students without black belt ranking.

Front 100

MUKUSO

Back 100

Meditation.

Front 101

MUNE

Back 101

Chest

Front 102

MUNE TORI

Back 102

Grasped lower Lapel.

Front 103

NAGARE

Back 103

Flowing

Front 104

NAGE

Back 104

To throw; The thrower in a technique (vs the UKE/receiver).

Front 105

NANAME

Back 105

Diagonal or oblique.

Front 106

NIKAJO/NIKKYO

Back 106

Second technique; Second control; Wrist in-turn.

Front 107

NUKITSUKE

Back 107

Drawing the Sword.

Front 108

O'SENSI

Back 108

Great Teacher; Morihei Ueshiba the Founder of Aikido is commonly refered to as O'Sensi.

Front 109

OBI

Back 109

Belt of sash.

Front 110

OMOTE

Back 110

Front; also called SHOMEN.

Front 111

ONEGAI SHIMASU

Back 111

I welcome you to train with me.

Front 112

OSAE

Back 112

Press, push. To immobilize.

Front 113

OSAE WAZA

Back 113

Pinning techniques.

Front 114

OTOSHI

Back 114

Drop

Front 115

RANDORI

Back 115

Free style practice; all out training.

Front 116

REI

Back 116

Bow

Front 117

REI HO / REI GI

Back 117

Etiquette

Front 118

RENRAKU

Back 118

Combination

Front 119

RENSHU

Back 119

REN (repeat) SHU (learn)

"Learn by repeating."

Front 120

RIAI

Back 120

The interrelationship of principals. RIAI refers to the similarities in body movement, distancing, and timing involved in meeting an opponent; whether one is armed or empty handed. In a larger sense it also refers to the similarities in principles and goals of all the Japanese Ways.

Front 121

ROKUDAN

Back 121

Sixth degree black belt.

Front 122

RYOKATA TORI

Back 122

Both shoulders grasped.

Front 123

RYOTE

Back 123

Both SHITE'S wrists grasped by UKE'S hands.

Front 124

RYU

Back 124

The school or tradition of a special martial art.

Front 125

SABAKI

Back 125

Movement

Front 126

SAMURAI

Back 126

Warrior. In Japanese the term BUSHI is more frequently used.

Front 127

SANDAN

Back 127

Third degree black belt.

Front 128

SANKAJO / SANKYO

Back 128

Third technique; Third control; Wrist twist.

Front 129

SANKAKU

Back 129

Triangle

Front 130

SATORI

Back 130

Enlightenment; Spiritual awakening or realization. Term common in Zen Buddhism.

Front 131

SAYA

Back 131

Scabbard

Front 132

SAYU UNDO

Back 132

Left-right exercise.

Front 133

SEIZA

Back 133

Kneeling/seated position; also used as a command to kneel.

Front 134

SEMPAI

Back 134

Senior.

The SEMPAI/KOHA (junior/senior) relationship is particularly important in Japanese culture and permeates all areas of life. Japanese people are always concious of whether people they meet are above or below them in social status in regards to their seniority.

Front 135

SENSEI

Back 135

Teacher or Instructor.

Front 136

SEPPUKU

Back 136

Ritual suicide by self-disembowlment.

Front 137

SETSU NIN TO

Back 137

The sword that kills.

Front 138

SHIAI

Back 138

Contest / match / competition.

Competition does not exist in Aikido except for the Tomiki Aikido.

Front 139

SHICHIDAN

Back 139

Seventh degree black belt.

Front 140

SHIDOIN

Back 140

A formal title meaning approximately 'instructor'. The middle of three instructor levels instituted by the AIKIKAI HOMBU DOJO in the mid-1970's; corresponds approximately to 4th and 5th degree black belts. the three instructor levels in ascending order are FUKU SHIDOIN, SHIDOIN, SHIHAN.

Front 141

SHIHAN

Back 141

A formal title meaning 'Mater Instructor'. Corresponds approximately to 6th degree black belt and above.

Front 142

SHIHO NAGE

Back 142

Four direction throw. Technique where SHITE passes under UKE's arm, pivots 180 degrees and throws. This technique originally included a pin with the arm barred in SHIHO NAGE position to complete.

Front 143

SHIKKO

Back 143

Knee walking. A form of walking on the knees from a SEIZA position designed to improve balance, hip stability and prepare the student for executing SUWARIWAZA techniques. Samurai walking.

Front 144

SHIME

Back 144

A lock.

Front 145

SHINAI

Back 145

The mock weapon used in Kendo. The SHINAI is made of split lengths of bamboo tied together.

Front 146

SHINKEN

Back 146

The live or sharpened steel sword.

Front 147

SHINKENSHOBU

Back 147

Duel with live swords.

Front 148

SHINTO

Back 148

The way of the Gods. The indigenous religion of Japan.