Use of the term Oss / Osu?

[Danny T]

Is this term used in your school/gym? Why?
What does it really mean and why is it used?

In my previous karate type training it was not use. Today it seems everyone is using it.
My understanding (and it may be completely wrong that is why I'm asking) is that it is a coarse masculine term meaning something along the lines of 'yo' or 'what's up' and not is a term of respect or acknowledgement.
???
Thanks in advance.

 

[Zero]

Nice, I was thinking exactly along this line when I responded Oss! just now to one of Tez3's comments.

In my old goju club, we used it when an opponent landed a good shot on you, it was an acknowledgement of respect for the quality of the strike, even if it did end up winding you or busting your chops. It was also said in respect of something important or even profound stated and also in response to a statement on something by the sensei or a senior to show you understood their intent/instructions.

It should well be a term of respect/acknowledgement as you say and should not be, but is now used more and more in the other context you state, I hear this myself from time to time and while not sure what to make of it, it doesn't bother me much.

Have a look at this out of interest (I am not necessarily endorsing all of what is said in this rather long winded attempt at an explanation):
The Meaning of Osu Oss When You Should NEVER Say It KARATEbyJesse

 

[Cougar]

Our Byakuren Sensei would stand inside the entrance to the dojo and give a standing bow and say, "Osu", as we entered. It was met with a returned bow and a repeated, "Osu". His explanation was that it was a warrior greeting and sign of respect.

 

[hussaf]

This is a very controversial topic, even in Japan.

It's use is similar to an "ooh rah" or "Hooah" in the Marine Corps or army. It's said the rumor of it's history is a slang conjugation of push and persevere.

We use it not dissimilarly than other schools - mostly just when you don't feel like saying more than a single syllable to communicate something. It's practical so you can keep on training without really talking. If there's this understanding of it's use in your dojo, then who cares if people want to say it's wrong...it's a useful tool for you. Use it.

We also use it in our basic testing. A candidate and his testing partner will bow at the beginning of an exam and utter an energetic "osu" to each other, symbolizing the "pushing away" of all concerns outside of the mat. Likewise after a test, the pair will bow, symbolizing leaving anything that happened - good or bad - on the mat as you leave it.

 

[K-man]

Good topic. We started using the term years ago when I was a student of Goju Kai, the Japanese Goju. It was a generic expression than meant different things at different times.

When we walked into the dojo ... oss, bow to the teacher... oos, shake hands with a fellow student ... oss, corrected in class ... oss.

The article quoted by Zero pretty much says it all.

It doesn't exist in Aikido, also Japanese, so apparently it is not an expression that covers all Japanese martial arts, and, as the article states, it is not in Okinawan Karate.

For me, it is ingrained, a bit like muscle memory. I use oss without even thinking and I probably shouldn't.

 

[hussaf]

I learned it in aikido. Actually it was the first martial art I ever encountered it....and the majority martial art I see it in. I believe my organization got the term from teaching hand to hand training for the Japanese navy.

 

[K-man]

Well that could explain the concept that it is more an expression from a rougher element. What style of Aikido were you training?

 

[Steve]

The Brazilians love using it, and it's all over in BJJ now. Hussaf nailed it.

 

[seasoned]

A sign of respect, in agreement with.

 

[hussaf]

Well that could explain the concept that it is more an expression from a rougher element. What style of Aikido were you training?

Yoshinkan, is one of them, and where I got the term from. When the organization first started they survived off donations and contracts with the shipping industry and military and police. I believe that's where they picked it up from, and made it their own (Kushida maybe? Can't recall who was the point man with those groups). I've noticed serious martial arts practitioners always tend to work and play with other groups, and "steal" stuff from them. My aikido group stole a version of toasting shots from some Canadian GoJu guys, and utilization of the term "sir" instead of "Sensei" from a Jujistu group out of west VA (mostly for kids classes, but everyone uses it from time to time for various reasons).

 

[hussaf]

A sign of respect, in agreement with.

I would be cautious with that around Japanese speaking people. It's considered very rough language, almost like a curse word in the US (not the actual definition, obviously, more so the social consequences).

 

[Danny T]

Have a look at this out of interest (I am not necessarily endorsing all of what is said in this rather long winded attempt at an explanation):
The Meaning of Osu Oss When You Should NEVER Say It KARATEbyJesse

I have see several articles along the same line as this.
Not used in Japanese or Okinawan Karate so where did it come from and why has it become so popular here?

 

[donald1]

ive seen goju kai students post that on facebook. either osu or oss(ive seen both posted) usualy on belg promotion or stuff like that

 

[Cirdan]

The loud OSU is not used where I train (Wado karate and Ju Jitsu) except sometimes by guest instructors when bowing at the start and/or end of class. Personally I use to say a quiet Onegai shimazu when bowing in, some karate instructors practice this custom while others don`t so not really a big deal. When I did kenjutsu this was also a standard greeting before doing paired kata.

I don`t like it much so I will honor the practice if expected by the instructor, but if someone goes OSS!!!!! at me unexpectedly I will reply with a measured Onegai shimazu.

 

[Zero]

I have see several articles along the same line as this.
Not used in Japanese or Okinawan Karate so where did it come from and why has it become so popular here?

I don't know, we used it in my Okinawan goju ryu school...so unless those articles are simply wrong, your question seems to be even more interesting and now I would like the answer.

 

[Danny T]

As I posted prior, back in the 70's the schools I trained in didn't use the term either. My first instructor had trained in Japan late 50's while stationed there with US Army. Returned to Japan for two years in the 60's to continue his training. Or at least that was his story. We never use the term. Also did not all hollering I hear at competitions today either. Just a deep, aggressive uhhsssss with our attacks, no screaming kiya or hollering as loud as you can.

Seems every school I visit and almost every person coming in our school who has trained elsewhere uses osu.
I guess it's one of my peeves.

 

[Buka]

It's really used in a lot of different contexts. Much like the word "dude' in the first part of this old clip.

 

[Tez3]

Here in Yorkshire it's usually pronounced 'ee by gum'

 

[tshadowchaser]

It was used to mean: yes , no, I agree, disagree, I'll try harder. damn thats hard. with all respect, kiss my ###, and almost anything else in a couple of schools I studied at. It was a catch all phrase that could mean many things depending on how you sounded when you said it.
I never did figure out what the true meaning was

 

[K-man]

Here in Yorkshire it's usually pronounced 'ee by gum'

Well, that just doesn't sound right to me. I thought in Yorkshire it would be more 'eeh boy gorm', but then, I don't live there.