Japanese MA Terminology

[OnlyAnEgg]

As a beginner, lists of common MA terms helped me quite a bit early on. Here is such a list. Corrections welcome.


-A-

Age
Rising
Age tsuki
Rising punch
Age uke
Rising block
Ago
Chin or jaw
Agura
Informal sitting
Aka
Red
Aka Ippon
Red point (tournament sparring)
Akiresu ken
Achilles tendon
Ana ta no catch
(You are)Winner
Arigato
Thank-you
Ashi or Ashibo
Leg or shin
Ashi kubi
Ankle
Ashi waza
Foot techniques
Ashi ura
Sole of the foot
Ashi yubi
Toes
Ashi zoko
Bottom (bottom side)of foot
Atemi
Striking
Atemi waza
Striking techniques
Awase uke
Combination blocks






-B-

Budo
Martial arts Way
Bujutsu
Martial arts techniques
Bunkai
Application of a technique
Bushi
Warrior class of Japan
Bushido
Way of the warrior






-C-

Choku tsuki
Straight punch
Chudan
Midsection of the body






-D-

Dachi
Stance
Dan
Black belt rank
De ashi barai
Forward foot sweep
Denzook
No count
Do
The way
Dojo
Martial arts training hall, literally "Place of the Way
Dokko
Mastoids
Domo Arigato
Thank-you






-E-

Embusen
Floor pattern of Kata
Empi
Elbow
Empi uchi
Elbow strike






-F-

Fukushin
Judge
Fukuto
Outside, lower thigh
Fumikomi
Stamping kick
Fushi
Knucle, joint






-G-

Ganmen
Face
Gai wan
Outer arm
Gan or Gansei
Eye
Gankaku Dachi
Crane stance - also Tsuru ashi or Sagi ashi dachi
Ganmen
Head, face
Gasshuku
Special Training Camp
Gatame
Hold, arm bar
Geashi
Reversal
Gedan
Lower part of the body
Gedan barai
Low block
Gen no sen
Allow one to attack, set up to counter-attack
Geri
Kick
Gi
Karate Uniform
Go
Five
Gyaku
Reverse, reversal
Gyaku tsuki
Reverse punch






-H-

Ha
Tooth
Hada
Skin
Haguki
Gums
Hae
Lungs
Haibu
Back (back rib area)
Haimen
Back or rear side
Hana
Nose
Hachi
Eight
Hachiji dachi
Natural stance
Hai
Yes
Haishu
Back of the hand
Haisoku
Instep
Haito
Ridge hand, inner blade of hand
Hai wan
Back of the arm
Hajime
Begin
Hanshi
Master - Usually the highest ranking in the organization
Hansoku
Foul
Hantei
Decision
Hara
Abdomen
Harai
Sweep
Hidari
Left
Hifu
Skin
Hiji
Elbow
Hitai
Forehead
Hiza
Knee
Honbu
Headquarters






-I-

Ibuki
Controlled breathing
Ichi
One
Ippon
Point (as in scoring)
Ippon Kumite
One-step sparring
Iyeh
No






-J-

Jikan
Time - as in tournaments
Jinzo
Kidney
Jiu Kumite
Freestyle sparring
Jodan
Head or upper area
Jogai
Out of bounds - tournaments
Ju
Ten
Ju Dachi
Free Fighting stance
Juji
Cross






-K-

Kache
Winner (Tournament)
Kagi
Hooking
Kakushin waza
Hidden technique
Kaisho
Open hand
Kakato
Heel
Kakuto
Bent wrist
Kake
Application of the technique
Kakiwake uke
Pushing through block
Kamae
Combative posture
Kami or Ke
Hair
Kansetsu
Joint lock
Kanzo
Liver
Kappo
Resuscitating (from knock out)
Kara
Empty
Karada
Body or physique
Karate
Empty hand, or weaponless
Karateka
One who practices karate
Kasumi
Temple (side of the head)
Kata
Pre-arranged form or techniques
Keage
Snap kick
Katame
Grappling
Keibu
Neck
Keito uke
Chicken head block
Kekome
Thrust kick
Kensei
Technique with silent kiai
Kentsui uke (tettsui uke)
Hammer fist block
Keri waza
Kicking techniques
Ketto
Blood
Ki
Life force - mind - spirit
Kiai
Shout of focus
Kihon
Basic technique
Kioskite
Attention
Kibadachi
Straddle (horse) stance
Kime
Focus
Kingeri
Groin kick
Kinniku
Muscles
Kinteki
Testicles
Kizami tsuki
Jab punch
Kohai
A student junior to one's self
Kokutsudachi
Backstance
Koken
Wrist, bent wrist
Kon bon wa
Good evening (after daylight)
Konnichi wa
Good evening (during daylight)
Kosa uke
Crossed block
Koshi
Ball of foot
Ku
Nine
Kuchi
Mouth
Kubodo
Weapons training
Kudasai
Please (if you please)
Kudsurogu
Relax or rest
Kumiuchi
Grappling
Kumite
Sparring
Kyobu
Chest
Kyu
Colored belt rank






-M-

Ma-ai
Distancing
Mae
Front
Mae geri
Front kick
Mae geri keage
Front snap kick
Mae geri kekomi
Front thrust kick
Mae tobi geri
Jump front kick
Makiwara
Striking board
Makoto
Absolute sincerity, from a pure open mind
Manabu
Learning by imitating
Matte
Wait
Mawashi geri
Roundhouse kick
Mawashi tsuki
Roundhouse punch, hook punch
Mawatte, mawri, mawaru
Turn
Me
Eye
Men
Face
Migi
Right (side)
Mikazuki
Crescent
Mikazuki geri
Crescent kick
Mimi
Ears
Mo Ichido
Once again
Mokuso
Contemplation, meditation
Morote uke
Augmented block
Mudansha
Student without black belt rank
Mune
Chest
Mushin
No mind - to act (or adapt) without thinking
Musubi Dachi
Attention stance
Myaku
Pulse






-N-

Naifanchi, Naihanchi Dachi
Straddle stance
Nai wan
Inner arm
Namiashi
Sweep avoidance
Neko
Cat
Nekoashidachi
Cat stance
Ni
Two
Nidan tobi geri
Double jump kick
Nodo
Throat
Nukite
Spear hand






-O-

Obi
Belt
Ohiyo gozaimasu
Good Morning
Oi tsuki
Lunge punch
Okuri ashi barai
Foot sweep
Onigaishimasu
Please teach me
Osoto
Outside
Osoto Uke
Outside (forearm) block
Osu
Greetings
Oswate
Sit down
Otate
Stand up
Oyasumi nasai
Good night (departure)
Oyo waza
Application interpreted from kata techniques






-R-

Rei
Bow
Reigi or reishiki
Etiquette
Rensei
Practise tournament - critique
Renshi
Expert instructor, one who has mastered himself
Rokkotsu
Rib
Roku
Six
Ryu
School of martial arts






-S-

Sakotsu
Collar bone
San
Three
Sanchin dachi
Hourglass stance
Satori
Enlightenment
Sebone
Backbone, spine
Seiryuto
Base of the ridge hand
Seiza
Kneeling/Sitting position
Sempai
Senior
Senaka
The back
Sen no sen
Attack at the exact moment of your opponents attack
Sensei
Teacher
Seoi
Shoulder
Seridsu
Line up
Shiai
Tournament
Shihan
Master Instructor
Shikkaku
Disqualification
Shin, Shinzo
Heart
Shintai
Body
Shiri
Buttocks
Shita
Tongue
Shizen dachi
Sparring stance
Sho
Palm of hand
Shomen
To the front
Shofu
Side of neck
Shuto
Knife hand
Shuto uchi
Knife hand strike
Shuto uke
Knife hand block
Sokko
Top of the foot
Sokuto
Edge of the foot
Soru
Sit down (or kneel)
Soto
Outside
Soto ude uke (Osoto uke)
Outside forearm block
Suigetsu
Solar-plexis
Suwari
Sit






-T-

Tai
Body
Taikaky
Build or physique
Taisabaki
Body twisting evasion movements
Tanden
Navel
Tatte
Stand up
Te
Hand
Te gatana uke (shuto uke)
Hand sword block
Teisho
Palm heel
Tenshin
Moving, shifting
Tenshin Sho
Divine intervention
Tettsui
Hammer fist
Tome
Return to original position
Tomoe
Stomach
Tsukami waza
Catching technique
Tsuki
Punch or fist
Tuite
Grappling skills






-U-

Uchi
Inner
Ude
Forearm
Ude uki
Forearm block
Uke
Block
Ukemi waza
Breakfall techniques
Uraken (reiken) uchi
Back fist strike
Uratsuki
Close punch
Ushiro
Rear
Ushiro geri
Back kick






-W-

Wado
Way of Peace and Harmony
Wan
Arm
Waza
Technique
Wazari
Half point






-Y-

Yama
Mountain
Yamabushi
Mountain warriors
Yawara
Control
Yame
Stop
Yasumi
Rest
Yobo
Face
Yodansha
One who is a black belt
Yoi
Ready
Yoko
Side
Yoko geri
Side kick
Yubi
Finger
Yubisaki
Fingertip
Yudansha
Black Belt






-Z-

Zanshin
Awareness
Zazen
Sitting meditation
Zen
Buddhist sect or Religious meditation
Zenshin
Whole body
Zenkutsudachi
Forward stance
Zenwan
Forearm
Zori
Japanese slippers
Zuno
Head or brains

 

[Andrew Green]

Well, one very common one is this:

Geri
Kick


should be "Keri" not "Geri". There is a phonetic shift on many Japanese words depending on what comes before them. Harai / Barai - Same idea.

Other little things as well, the general idea is right but the meaning is not. Tsuki is not punch or fist, but "thrust"

or

Hachiji dachi
Natural stance

"Hachi" is eight, and the foot positioning resembles the number 8 (Kanji, not "8")

But my Japanese sucks, one course years back isn't much, maybe someone else can be more help in correcting it as a whole...

 

[Kreth]

Cool post! Two suggestions:

1. Some of your romanji is inconsistent (ex. "Iyeh" for no is commonly spelled Ie)
2. I believe kumi uchi is a specific hold, rather than a generic term for grappling.

 

[OnlyAnEgg]

Well, one very common one is this:

Geri
Kick


should be "Keri" not "Geri". There is a phonetic shift on many Japanese words depending on what comes before them. Harai / Barai - Same idea.

Other little things as well, the general idea is right but the meaning is not. Tsuki is not punch or fist, but "thrust"

or

Hachiji dachi
Natural stance

"Hachi" is eight, and the foot positioning resembles the number 8 (Kanji, not "8")

But my Japanese sucks, one course years back isn't much, maybe someone else can be more help in correcting it as a whole...

What word would you substitute for 'fist', Andrew?

Your comment on Hachiji Dachi makes good sense to me. I see it written like that all the time; but, when I've heard it spoken, it's always Hachi.

My only Japanese is what I've learned in class and what I've picked up online.

 

[OnlyAnEgg]

Cool post! Two suggestions:

1. Some of your romanji is inconsistent (ex. "Iyeh" for no is commonly spelled Ie)
2. I believe kumi uchi is a specific hold, rather than a generic term for grappling.

I've seen Iye spelled 'Ie', 'Iye' and 'Iyeh'; so, I just entered the one I liked best.

Kumi-uchi, I have seen used as a hold and as the term for Jujitsu prior to the 1800s

It's not an exhaustive or comprehensive list. More of a guide, I suppose...

 

[Brandon Fisher]

Its pretty good actually.

 

[Mustafa]

Thanks

 

[Andrew Green]

couple missing but basic ones:

Yon - 4
Nana - 7

4 and 7 can also be Shi and Shichi as well and they are interchangable for the most part. The way I understand it the character for death can be pronunced "Shi" so it is bad luck to use it when refering to people.

So 4th dan is Yondan, rather then shidan. 7th is nanadan, rather then shichidan, etc.


Egg,

Fist again depends on context. "Kenpo" -> the Ken is "fist", but "Ken" on it's own I don't think would mean "fist."

Some examples here:
http://linear.mv.com/cgi-bin/j-e/dosearch?sDict=on&H=PS&L=E&T=fist&WC=none&FG=r&BG=b&S=26

 

[Monadnock]

Yea, some of those look like they may be specific to certain martial art systems.

Koshi often referes to the hip area.

Yodansha should be Yudansha(?)

It's a good start though...

 

[ELLEN]

Our Japanese exchange student told me that Japanese is used in soooo many different ways, and different pronounciations for different people present or occasions that, to even count from 1-10,...would be a bit of a problem for a native English speaker to get 100% straight. One could make themsleves understood...but it wouldn't be totally accurate to the Japanese ear! But, if you don't move or counter, & get punched in the gut...who care how you spell it!!!!! It hurts!