Terminology Question

IcemanSK

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I've been training w/ some Okinawan stylists. The Shihan often uses me as his dummy (uki? in Japanese). It has always seemed Japanese/Okinawan stylists use Japanese terms for their things all the time. Koreans (in my experience) tend to want to use English terms often.

What is the Korean term equivelent to uki (dummy/partner/fallguy) etc.? I've not heard it used that I know of.
 

arnisador

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I hear people say uke in so many different arts now! It's almost become generic. I hear it in FMA all the time.
 

Gemini

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Good question. Most of our instruction is given in English, then Korean, but we still just say "partner".
 

karatekid1975

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Same here. We use some Korean, but not for "uke, or partner drills and such. We mostly use Korean for basic commands, that's it.
 
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IcemanSK

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Gemini said:
Good question. Most of our instruction is given in English, then Korean, but we still just say "partner".

My instructor would call me "the victim" or "poor Tom". I s'pose its better to hear that in English, huh?:) Actually, partner was always the case, too.

I love it when instructors say, "Throw a punch/kick at me." or "grab me here." Ya always know the fun is just about to start.:supcool:
 

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IcemanSK said:
What is the Korean term equivelent to uki (dummy/partner/fallguy) etc.? I've not heard it used that I know of.
Technically, the Japanese term "uke", means "to receive".
 

shesulsa

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I'm bumping this to see if any of the newer members have any idea.
 

mystic warrior

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here you go I think
Sun Bae - Older brother or sister
Who Bae - Younger brother or sister
 

shesulsa

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mystic warrior said:
here you go I think
Sun Bae - Older brother or sister
Who Bae - Younger brother or sister

I don't think either one of those would translate as "dummy" or "receiver" though I'm sure either would do as a partner. :)
 

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The terms uke (受け) and tori (投げ) are of course Japanese. Many older Korean masters still use these words because they grew up during the occupation and learned them in school and during practice. If you want to say them in Korean you would use sue (수) for uke and tue (투) for tori. I am just using a spelling that all can read, this is not the way you would officially Romanize these words.

ron
 

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mystic warrior said:
here you go I think
Sun Bae - Older brother or sister
Who Bae - Younger brother or sister

Ok I am not positive and shesulsa can probably correct me if I make the mistake. I believe sun bae nim is the term for an upper belt a half black if memory serves but not postive.

Farang
 

shesulsa

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Pheonix said:
Ok I am not positive and shesulsa can probably correct me if I make the mistake. I believe sun bae nim is the term for an upper belt a half black if memory serves but not postive.

Farang

Adam, we reserve the use of "nim" for those of black rank. Son Bae translates to "Older Brother" which we call our half-black ranked brothers and sisters. Woo Bae translates to "Younger Brother" which, though you don't hear it much in our school, is used by a higher color rank to a lower color rank on occasion.
 

Last Fearner

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IcemanSK said:
What is the Korean term equivelent to uki (dummy/partner/fallguy) etc.? I've not heard it used that I know of.

Iceman, and others :)

The Koreans that I have worked with did not use exact matches for the terms Uke, and Tori (or Nage). As mentioned before, "Uke" (Oo-kay) means "receiver." By this term, one could be talking about a football player (a wide receiver), but it has a special meaning in Japanese Martial Art. The term "Tori" (Toh-ree) means "taker." It would seem that the person who "takes" also receives, but in this meaning, Tori takes the opponent's force, draws him off balance, and throws. Uke, receives the throw, and a valuable lesson about being thrown. :D In Korean language, "batda" (받다) can mean to receive; accept; or take.

In Korean terms, the common practice is to use whatever native word fits the scenario. In sparring, we tend to have a "partner" (Sang Dae - 상 대 ) as both people play the role of attacker and defender. Then you can say "Sang Dae Hada" (상대하다) which means "face each other," or "face your partner). For one steps, we might call one person the "challenger," (my guess would be Do jeon ja - 도전자 ), and the other person is the "defender." (not sure of this one. Perhaps something to do with "bahng eo" which means to defend, or a "bo ho sa" (보호자) which is a protector). If anyone here speaks Korean fluently, and notices mistakes in my translations, please correct them as I am not sure of their specific uses.

As to the terms "seon bae," (선배) and "hu bae," (후배), they are used to identify "senior," and "junior" respectively. "Seonbae-nim," is one's senior, elder, or the older generation. "Hubae-nim" is a polite way of addressing one's junior, younger men, or the younger generation. At my Dojang, I teach it as the Koreans taught me. Anyone who is higher rank than you, is your "seon bae" and should be addressed as "seonbae-nim." Anyone who is lower rank is your "hubae." At the end of class, we bow to the national flags (guk Gi), to the instructor, and then all students face the one senior ranking student of the class, and bows to the seonbaenim (선배님).


"Elder Brother" for a female is Oh bba (오빠). For a male, older brother is "hyeong" (형), or the honorific form of "hyeong-nim" (형님). A younger brother is called "nam dong saeng" (남동생).

The term "-nim" (님) is a suffix used to denote the honorific form of "sir" or "ma'am." The head of a Dojang, or master, is a "Sabeom" (사범 also: Sabom, or Sabuhm). The student respectfully addresses this individual as "Sabeom-nim" because they are junior to their teacher. My teacher would not address me as "Sabeom-nim" because he is senior to me. He would simply call me "Sabeom." A teacher should never refer to themself in the honorific form saying, "I am a sabeom-nim." Instead, they should say, "I am a sabeom." In everyday language, "seon saeng" (선생) means "Mr.," Mrs.," "teacher," or "ma'am." The honorific form is "seonsaengnim" (선생님).

CM D. J. Eisenhart
 

Pheonix

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Thank you for the correction mam! I knew that by posting that I was going to make a mistake somewhere.

Farang
 

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