Aikido Glossary

TITLES

Dan - "level," black belt rank

Doshu - leader of the way

Kohai - junior practitioner (relative to a sempai)

Kyu - ranks below dan ranks

Nage - person who performs the technique

Sensei - teacher

Sempai - senior practitioner (relative to kohai)

Uke - person who receives the technique

Yudansha - one who has attained a dan rank

MOVEMENTS

Atemi - defensive strike by nage

Irimi - entering movement

Omote - foward or frontal movement

Shikko - knee walking

Tai sabaki - body movement

Tenkan - turning/pivoting movement

Tenshin - nage retreats obliquely from the attack

Ura - "rear," movement to the rear

WEAPONS/GEAR

Bokken - wooden sword

Gi (or Dogi) - uniform

Hakama - divided, pleated pants worn by yudansha

Jo - short wooden staff

Obi - belt

Tanto - wooden knife

TECHNIQUES

Ikkyo - first technique

Nikyo - second technique

Sankyo - third technique

Yonkyo - fourth technique

Gokyo - fifth technique

Henka waza - change technique

Iriminage - entering throw

Kaeshi waza - uke reverses/counters nage technique

Kaitennage - circular throw

Kokyunage - breath throw

Koshinage - hip throw

Kotegaeshi - wrist turn out

Shihonage - four direction throw

Tenchinage - heaven and earth throw

ATTACKS

Katatetori - one hand wrist grab

Gyaku hanmi – mirror grab

Ai hanmi – handshake grab

Katatori - one hand shoulder grab

Morotetori - two handed wrist grab

Ryokatatori - both shoulders grabbed from front

Ryotetori - both wrists grabbed from front

Shomenuchi - vertical strike to forehead

Tsuki - punch

Ushiro Hijitori - both elbows grabbed from behind

Ushiro katatori - both shoulders grabbed from behind

Ushiro kubishime - one arm choke, and one arm grabbed from behind

Ushiro tekubitori - both wrists grabbed from behind

Yokomenuchi - diagonal strike to side of head

WEAPON ATTACKS

Bokken tori - bokken taking

Jo tori - jo taking

Kata - sequence of movements using jo or bokken

Kumitachi – partner practice (both with weapons)

Awase - Opposing sequence of movements to kata

Suburi - basic movements with jo or bokken (done individually)

Tanto tori - dagger taking

COMMON PHRASES

Onegai shimasu - a polite way of asking someone for a favor (to practice); carries a connotation of goodwill

Domo arigato gozaimashita – Thank you

MISCELLANEOUS TERMS

Ai - harmony, love

Aikido - the way of harmony, the way of spiritual harmony

Bu - martial, military

Budo - martial way

Do - way, path

Hanmi - basic oblique stance

Hanmi Handachi - uke attacks from standing position, nage executes technique from seiza

Hara - center (abdomen)

Keiko - training

Ki - spiritual energy, the energy of life

Kokyu - breath

Kokyu ryoku - breath power

Ma-ai - spacing between uke and nage

Nafudakake - name plate

Suwari waza - techniques done with both uke and nage in seiza

Seiza - sitting with feet tucked under

Shomen - front of head, front of dojo

Tegatana - "hand blade"

Tokonoma - display area at front of dojo, reserved for valued objects

Kakari geiko - free style training, uke may use any attack, nage may use any technique

Jiyu waza - uke may execute any attack and nage may use any technique

Randori - free style training with multiple partners

Waza - technique