[ Martial Arts Home] [ Kitsap Aikido ]
Having trouble at the dojo understanding, or remembering Japanese words, phrases, or the names of techniques? Below you can see these words and their English translastions. If you like, you can print out these pages using the Printer Friendly versions below, in Microsoft Word.
Arigato Gzaimasu
Japanese to English Translation
Printer friendly version of our Lexicons (MS Word):
For terms/translations not covered, please see:
Translating Japanese to English, and vice versa, has always been somewhat difficult. Since the Japanese language doesn't use our alphabet, and the method of pronunciation is different, Americans have tried to phoneticaly spell Japanese words. For this reason you may see Japanese words spelled differently between reference books. As we do more research, we are clarifying and correcting our spelling and definitions. If you require exact definitions of these types of terms, you might look into the Japanese Martial Arts Dictionary by Thomas R. Jenkins. This is an expensive book, but should have what you need. We are not associated in any way with this author or his associates. We just offer this as a possible solution. In the Japanese lannguage, a word does not change in the plural as it does in American. For example "kata" may mean one kata or five kata. It is incorrect to say katas". |
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GeneralTerms | |||||||
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Japanese |
English | ||||||
| Ai | Harmony | ||||||
| Ai Hanmi | Equal stance. You and your partner stand facing each other in the same position | ||||||
| Aikido | Ai = Harmony; Ki = Spirit; Do = The Way or Path | ||||||
| Aiki-ken | Swordsmanship; according to the principles of Aikido | ||||||
| Aiki Taiso | Aikido exercises | ||||||
| Ai Uchi | Equal strike | ||||||
| Aswatti | Sit | ||||||
| Atemi | Defensive strike | ||||||
| Boken | Wooden sword used in practice | ||||||
| Bushido | Warrior's code | ||||||
| Chin-na | Seize-control | ||||||
| Chudan | Middle area/position | ||||||
| Dan | Black Belt Grade | ||||||
| Dojo | Training hall | ||||||
| Dori | Grab | ||||||
| Dosa | An exercise | ||||||
| Doshi | Comrade, friend (used among fellow Aikidoists) | ||||||
| Empi | Elbow | ||||||
| Fukushidoin | First instructor's rank (2nd or 3rd Dan) | ||||||
| Fune kogi | A rowing motion | ||||||
| Gaeshi | To reverse | ||||||
| Gedan | Low area | ||||||
| Gi | Training uniform | ||||||
| Gyaku Hanmi | Opposite stance. Though facing each other, you and your partner are in reverse postures; that is, you are in the right hanmi, and he is in the left hanmi. | ||||||
| Gyaku Te dori | Cross hand grab | ||||||
| Hai | Yes | ||||||
| Hachimaka | Sweat band | ||||||
| Hajime | Begin | ||||||
| Hakama | A divided pant-like skirt typically worn by black belts | ||||||
| Hanmi | Posture wherein one foot is advanced one step, body weight distributed evenly on both feet and in a triangular stance. It is very easy to move from this position. | ||||||
| Hanmi Handachi | Nage (thrower) is kneeling and opponent (attacker) approaches from a standing position | ||||||
| Hantai | Opposite or reverse | ||||||
| Happo | Eight directions | ||||||
| Hidari | Left | ||||||
| Hiji | Elbow | ||||||
| Hiji-dori | Elbow grab | ||||||
| Iaido | Japanese Art of Drawing a Sword | ||||||
| Iaito | Practice sword for Iaido | ||||||
| Itai | "It hurts" | ||||||
| Irimi | To enter; entering | ||||||
| Iie | No | ||||||
| Ippon | One point | ||||||
| Jinja | Shrine | ||||||
| Jodan | Upper area; high position | ||||||
| Jyu | Free style | ||||||
| Jyu Waza | Free style technique/practice | ||||||
| Jo | Wooden staff | ||||||
| Kaiten | To revolve or rotate | ||||||
| Kaiten-nage | Rotary throw | ||||||
| Kamae | Ready fighting stance | ||||||
| Kami | Very simply stated: Spirits, Gods | ||||||
| Kata | Shoulder; also means "form" practice of pre-arranged exercise(s) | ||||||
| Kata-dori | Shoulder grab | ||||||
| Katate | One handed | ||||||
| Katana | Long sword | ||||||
| Keiko | Practice session; training | ||||||
| Keage | Snapping | ||||||
| Kekomi | Thrusting | ||||||
| Ken | Japanese sword | ||||||
| Keyoskay | Attention | ||||||
| Ki | Spirit. The vital force of the body; Universal Energy; a stream or flow of positive energy | ||||||
| Kihon | Basic form of a technique | ||||||
| Kiai | Shout of Spirit; meaning "Meeting of the spirits" | ||||||
| Kinkutsu | Muscle control | ||||||
| Ki-no-nagare | Fluid form of a technique | ||||||
| Ki Musubi | Ki blending | ||||||
| Kobu Jutsu | Art of Weapons | ||||||
| Kohai | Junior Students | ||||||
| Kokyu | Breath power; the coordination of Ki flow with breathing | ||||||
| Kokyu Dosa | A method of off-balancing and pinning your partner with your "Ki" instead of your physical power | ||||||
| Kohai | Junior or subordinate student | ||||||
| Koshi | Hips, waist (also called Goshi) | ||||||
| Koshi-nage | Hip throw | ||||||
| Kote-gaeshi | Wrist turn out throw | ||||||
| Kotai | A movement to the rear | ||||||
| Kumi-jo | Advanced partner practices with jo | ||||||
| Kumi-tachi | Advanced partner practices with ken | ||||||
| Kyu | Aikido rank, class. A mudansha, or undergraduate | ||||||
| Kombanwa | Good Evening | ||||||
| Konichiwa | Good Afternoon | ||||||
| Koshi | Ball of foot | ||||||
| Kumae | On guard | ||||||
| Kyosho | Attacking vital points | ||||||
| Kyu | Below black belt rank | ||||||
| Ma-ai | Distance between uke and nage, meaning "harmony of space." | ||||||
| Mae | Front | ||||||
| Makiwara | Punching board | ||||||
| Matte | Wait | ||||||
| Mawashi | Round | ||||||
| Men | Face, head. | ||||||
| Men-uchi | Strike to the head | ||||||
| Mig | Right (direction) | ||||||
| Mikazuki | Crescent | ||||||
| Misogi | Purification | ||||||
| Mitsuke | Eye focusing and direction | ||||||
| Mokuso | Meditate | ||||||
| Morote-dori | Attack holding one wrist/forearm with both hands | ||||||
| Musubi | Blending | ||||||
| Nage | Technique initiator | ||||||
| Nihon | Two point | ||||||
| Nukite | Spearhand | ||||||
| Obi | Belt | ||||||
| Omote | Moving in front (Forward) | ||||||
| Omote Sankaku | Forward triangular stance | ||||||
| O Sensei | Great Teacher | ||||||
| Oyo-waza | Variations on basic technique | ||||||
| Oyasumi Nasai | Good Night | ||||||
| Randori | Multiple attack. Originally a Judo term. | ||||||
| Rei | Salutation, bow | ||||||
| Reigi | Etiquette | ||||||
| Ryote | Both hands | ||||||
| Ryote-dori | Both hands grabbed by both hands | ||||||
| Samarai | Military retainer (feudal period) | ||||||
| Sayu | Left and right | ||||||
| Seiza | Formal Sitting (kneeling) posture | ||||||
| Sempai * | Senior Student | ||||||
| Sensei * | Teacher | ||||||
| Shidoin | Certified instructor rank (4th or 5th Dan) | ||||||
| Shihan | Master | ||||||
| Shiho | Four directions | ||||||
| Shiho-nage | Four directions throw | ||||||
| Shodan | Holder of the first grade black belt | ||||||
| Shomen | Front or top of the head | ||||||
| Shomen-uchi | strike to the top front of the head | ||||||
| Shugyo | Rigorous daily training for overall purification | ||||||
| Suburi | A single movement using the ken or jo, done as a solo practice | ||||||
| Suwari Waza or Shikko | Sitting technique | ||||||
| Tachi | Japanese sword | ||||||
| Tachi dori | Sword disarming | ||||||
| Tachi Rei | Standing Bow | ||||||
| Taijusu | Body arts. The techniques of Aikido done without weapons | ||||||
| Tai No Henko | The basic blending practice. Tenkan exercise | ||||||
| Tai Sabaki | Body movements | ||||||
| Tanden | Point just below the navel. "One point." "Hara." | ||||||
| Tanto | Wooden knife | ||||||
| Te | Hand | ||||||
| Tegatana | Hand blade. Sword edge of the hand | ||||||
| Te Kubi | Wrist | ||||||
| Tenchi | Ten = heaven, Chi = earth. A position of the hands, one high (up) and one low (down). | ||||||
| Tenchi nage | Heaven and earth throw | ||||||
| Tenkan | To turn | ||||||
| Tobi | Jump | ||||||
| Tsuki | Thrust | ||||||
| Uchi | Strike | ||||||
| Uke | Technique initator's partner. The person who gives the attack and receives the technique. Generally speaking, "uke" refers to the person being thrown. | ||||||
| Ukemi | The art of receiving the technique and falling away from harm. Includes rolling and break falls (high falls). | ||||||
| Ura | Moving behind | ||||||
| Ura Sankanku | Reverse triangular stance | ||||||
| Ushiro | Back, behind, rear | ||||||
| Ushiro Ere-dori | Collar grab from behind | ||||||
| Ushiro Hiji-dori | Elbows grabbed from the rear | ||||||
| Ushiro Ryo-kata-dori | Both shoulders grabbed from behind | ||||||
| Ushiro Ryote-dori | Both wrists grabbed from behind | ||||||
| Ushiro Kube-shime | Choking with one hand around the neck from the rear, usually while holding one wrist with the free hand | ||||||
| Ushiro-dori | Bear hug from behind | ||||||
| Waza | Technique | ||||||
| Yokomen-uchi | Strike to the side of the head | ||||||
| Yudansha | Black belt grade holder(s) | ||||||
| Yamae | Stop | ||||||
| Zanshin | Unbroken awareness and concentration | ||||||
| Zazen | Sitting meditation | ||||||
| Zengo | Backward and Forward | ||||||