AIKIDO DICTIONARY

Aikido

Aikido The way of harmony with ki
Budo Martial way
Bushido The way of the warrior
Hara The abdomen, stomach, your centre/stability, One's centre of mass
Ki Spirit, Energy
Zazen Meditation
Zanshin Readiness, awareness, preparedness

An expression of appreciation

Domo arigato Thank you (formal)
Domo arigato gozaimasu Thank you very much (very formal) (for something that is happening)
Domo arigato gozaimas'ta Thank you very much (very formal) (for something that has just ended)
Onegaishimasu Please (when asking for something, usually as in Please lets practice together)

Ranks in Aikido

O-sensei Literally, ``Great Teacher,'
Doshu Head of the way (currently Moriteru Ueshiba)
Shihan A formal title meaning, approximately, ``master instructor.'
Shidoin A formal title meaning, approximately, ``instructor.''
Kudan 9th dan (black belt)
Hachidan 8th dan (black belt)
Shichidan 7th dan (black belt)
Rokudan 6th dan (black belt)
Godan 5th dan (black belt)
Yodan 4th dan (black belt)
Sandan 3rd dan (black belt)
Nidan 2nd dan (black belt)
Shodan 1st dan (black belt)
Ikkyu 1st kyu (Brown belt)
Nikyu 2nd kyu (Blue belt)
Sankyu 3rd kyu (Green belt)
Yokyu 4th kyu (Orange belt)
Gokyu 5th kyu (Yellow belt)
Rokkyu 6th kyu (White belt)
Aikidoka One who participates in aikido
Uke One who receives the technique
Tori,Nage One who applies the technique

The Practice Hall

Hombu dojo A term used to refer to the central dojo of an organization
Dojo Training hall, Literally place of the Way
Tatami The mat on whitch a martial art is practiced
Kamiza Upper seat (focal point of the dojo, indentified by the display of Master Uyeshiba's picture or framed sample of calligraphy, instructor side)
Shimoza Lower seat (opposite of instructor)
Joseki Upper side (advanced student side, left side of the kamiza)
Shimoseki Lower side (the right side of kamiza)

The Uniform

Gi (keikogi) Practice suit
Hakama Divided skirt worn over the gi, usually worn by black-belt ranks
Obi A belt
Tabi Japanese sock-slippers used in dojo
Zori Japanese sandals for use outside dojo

Commands

Kamae Ready posture
Hijime Start, begin or go
Mate Wait
Mokuso Close the eyes, meditation
Suwatte Sit down
Tatte Raise
Yame Stop, End
Yoi Ready
Rei Bow
Shinzen ni rei Bow to shrine
Sensei ni rei Bow to sensei
Joseki ni rei Bow to the high section of the dojo
Otagai ni rei Bow to each other
Ritsurei When you step on the mat, bow slightly in the direction of the kamiza (in normal standing natural posture)
Hai I understand

Practice with a partner

Tachi waza Standing technique
Suwari wasa Sitting technique
Tanto dori Knife technique
Zagi-handachi Both partners kneeling
Hanmi-handachi waza Sitting / standing technique
Te wasa Hand technique
Nage-waza Throwing or Projection techniques
Kansetsu-waza Joint / Pining techniques
Atemi-waza Striking / hitting techniques
Hitori-waza "invisible partner practice "
Jiyu-waza Free-style attack and defence with 2 or more Ukes
Ninnin dori Practice with 2 Ukes
Sannin dori Practice with 3 Ukes
Randori Freeform attack and response
Ukemi Break falls
Mai ukemi Forward fall / roll
Ushiro ukemi Backward fall / roll
Shikko Knee walking
Tsugi-ashi " Glide " walking
Chidori-ashi A cross-over (zig zag) step
Taisabaki A circular movement of blending with an attacker (Irimi-tenkan)
Kaiten Turning on the spot 180, feet remaining in place
Irimi (or Omote ) Moving to or across the front of an opponent,positive entering
Tenkan (or Ura) Circular motion - turning to the outside of an opponent
Tenshin A movement where nage retreats 45 degrees away from the attack
Torifune Boat rowing exercise
Ikkio shihogiri 4-direction turning
Tai-no-henko Basic blending (tenkan) exercise
KI-no-nagare Tai-no-henko as a flowing movement- or any technique
Irimi (omote) Entering across the front of your partner
Hi-shin-undo Back stretch

Postures

Kamae Posture, stance.
Tachi Standing
Keiza Kneeling, but up on the toes
Iai (Tate) hiza Kneeling on one calf
Seiza Formal sitting position, kneeling on both calves
Hanmi Half forward stance (posture in which one foot is advanced)
Ai-hanmi Opponents face each other in same postures
Gyaku-hanmi Opponents face each other in different postures
Hidari-hanmi Left natural posture
Migi-hanmi Right natural posture
Hanmi-hantachi One person is sitting and the other standing
Hitoemi Equal stance, feet parallel forward
Iai goshi Hips lowered, stable position
Mai-ai Correct distance between opponents
Mae Forward
Migi Right
Hidari Left
Heiko Parallel
Omote Front
Ura Back
Ushiro Rearward, behind
Uchi Inside
Soto Outside


Hand Holds



Katate dori One hand holding one hand
Ai-hanmi katatedori hand grab left wrist with your left hand
Gyaku-hanmi katatedori To grasp with one's hand reversed; to grasp and opponents right wrist with your left hand
Gyaku Reverse, opposite, inverted
Hiji dori Elbow grab
Sode dori Sleeve grab
Kata dori Shoulder hold
Mune dori One or two hand lapel hold (chest)
Morote dori Two hands holding one hand
Ryote dori Two hands holding two hands
Katatekosa-dori Crosshand wristhold
Ryokata dori Grabbing both shoulders
Ryokatate dori Grabbing both wrists
Katatekosa dori Crosshand wristhold
Ushiro tekubi dori Wrist grab from the back
Ushiro ryote dori Grabbing both wrists from the back
Ushiro ryokata dori Grabbing both shoulders from the back
Ushiro hiji-dori Hold elbows from behind
Ushiro eri-dori Neck grab from the back (usually the collar )
Ushiro kubi shime Rear choke
Ushiro katate dori kubishime Neck choke from behind with one hand and the other hand holding at the wrist
Munedakishime Bear hug usually from behind - ushiro


Strikes

Atemi Strike to a vital points of the body
Tsuki Straight thrust (punch), esp. to the midsection
Chudan-zuki A punch to the abdominal region
Gedan-zuki Downward punch
Jodan-zuki Upper strike
Oi-zuki A step-punch
Shomen uchi Overhead strike to the head
Yokomen uchi Diagonal strike to the side of the head
Gyaku-zuki Punching with the rear hand
Gyaku-uchi Any reverse strike
Kaeshi-zuki Counter thrus
Katate-uchi One-handed strike
Men-uchi Strike to head
Mune tsuki Thrust toward knot on obi
Oi-zuki Uchi Inside strike
Yoko-uchi A side ward strike Holds
Geri kick
Jodan High
Chudan Middle
Gedan Low
Shomen Straight ahead
Yoko Horizontal, to the side
Tegatana The " cutting " edge of the hand


Technique

Ikkyo 1. principle = oshi taoshi
Nikyo 2. principle = kotemaki
Sankyo 3. principle = shibori-kime
Yonkyo 4. principle
Gokyo 5. principle, used where uke is holding a knife
Rokkyo 6. principle = waki-katame or ude-hishigi, Lock applied against the elbow
Nanakyo 7. principle = Yonkyo applied to back of wrist
Hakyo 8. principle = kote-ori-kakae-kimi, kuji-dori = Nikyo in which his elbow is in your armpit and his hand is pulled forward; Pinning their hand with your foot
Kukyo 9. principle = Inverted nanakyo


Pins (Osae wasa )

Ikkajo osae Arm Pinning, ude osae
Nikajo osae Forearm Rotating, kote mawashi
Sankajo osae Forearm Twisting, kote hineri
Yonkajo osae Wrist Pinning, tekubi osae
Gokyo osae Arm Stretching, ude nobashi
Hiji-shime-osae (overarm elbow lock)
Kata-gatama Shoulder lock
Hiji osae Elbow control


Throws

Kote gaeshi Wrist turn-out - outwward wrist twist
Irimi nage Entering body throw (" 20 year technique ")
Sukumen Breath throw (underhead)
Shiho nage Four direction throw
Tenchi nage Heaven and earth throw
Kaiten nage Rotary throw
Koshi nage Hip throw
Mai otoshi Corner drop from the back
Sumi otoshi Corner drop
Otoshi Dropping
Kokyu nage Breath throw
Ude-garami elbow lock and throw
Juji nage, juji garami Arm entwining throw (" No. 10 throw ", since the arms form the japanese sign for 10 " + ". arms crossed, elbows locked)
Uchi-kaiten nage Rotary throw inside (from the front)
Soto-kaiten nage Rotary throw outside (from the side)
Kokyu ho breathing method morotetori kokyu nage or ryotemochi kokynage ude-oroshi irimi
Kokyu-ryoku Breathing power
Aiki otoshi body drop, entering more deeply and picking up uke's off-side leg
Maki otoshi nage ends up down on one knee, having thrown uke over nage's shoulder
Suni gaeshi corner throw
Tai-atari uchi otoshi from yokomen-uchi, entering and blocking.,uke gets thrown backwards
Ushiro udoroshi pull down from behind
Kokyu dosa Breath-power movement (from seiza)
Ganseki otoshi Arm bar with elbow braced over shoulder
Katagatame A variation of Kaiten nage where you lock your opponents houlder and bring him directly to the ground in a shoulder lock
Aikinage " harmony " of throwing an opponent with no pre -control techniques


Wepons

Katana Japanese sword
Bokken Wooden sword
Jo Wooden stick (staff)
Tanto-dori Defence against a knife (tanto)
Tachi-dori Defence against a sword (bokken)
Jo-dori Defence against a staff (Jo)
Bokken Suburi the 7 basic sword cuts
Bokken awase Partner blending practice
Bokken kumitachi " kata " practice with the partner
Jo suburi The 20 basic Jo movements
Jo kata The 13, 31, 25 & 22 count katas
Kumi-Jo Jo against Jo - blending practice
Ken-tai-Jo Sword against Jo partner practice


Numbers

  1 ich 20ni jyu       (2 + 10)
  2 ni 21ni jyu ich     (2 + 10 + 1)   
  3 san 44yon jyu shi (4 + 10 + 4)  
  4 shi or yon 79nana jyu kyu (7 + 10 + 9)  
  5 go 99kyu jyu kyu
  6 roku 100hyaku
  7 shichi or nana  101hyaku ich
  8 hachi 147ichi hyaku yon jyu shichi
  9 kyu 201ni hyaku ich
10   jyu 658roku hyaku go jyu hachi
11 jyu ich    1000sen
12 jyu ni     2445ni sen yon hyaku yon jyu go
13 jyu san 3456san zen yon hyaku go jyu roku
14 jyu shi 10000  man
15 jyu go 45789  yon man go sen nana hyaku hachi jyu kyu 
16 jyu roku 600roppyaku (not a roku hyaku)
17 jyu shichi 800happyaku (not a hachi hyaku)
18 jyu hachi 8000hassen (not a hachi sen)
19 jyu kyu


Use " shi " (4) or " shichi " (7) only for the last digit in the number
" sen " becomes " zen " after a voiced consonant " n " e.g. 3456


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