AIKIDO TERMS page 1

GENERAL TERMS
Ai harmony or love
Ki spirit or energy
Do the way or path
Aikido the path to a harmonious spririt
Kiai a shout in which or by which one's energy is focused
Bu war or warfare.
Bushi warrior
Bushido the way or code of the warrior
Jutsu techniques or practices
Budo the martial way
Bujutsu the study of fighting techniques
Samurai the verb meaning to serve The warrior class of
feudal Japan.
Hara the lower abdomen. The center of energy &
movement.
Zanshin continuity of concentration, alertness, remaining
prepared for the next attack
Shin mind or heart
Mushin no mind
Takemusu Aiki limitless Aikido, spontaneous manifestation of infinite
technique
Musubi unification of opposites
Misogi purification
Dojo training hall
Shomen the front of the dojo
Deshi student, disciple
Sensei teacher
O'Sensei literally, great teacher. Morihei Ueshiba, the
founder of Aikido, is known to Aikido students as
OSensei
Sempai senior student, one who began Aikido before you
Kohai junior student, one who began Aikido after you
Aikikai Aikido Foundation. Japanese umbrella organization
headed by the Doshu a descendent of Morihei
Ueshiba, the founder of Aikido.
Shihan master teacher
Kyu white belt grades
Dan black belt
Yudansha black belt holder(s)
Keiko practice
Keikogi practice uniform
AIKIDO TERMS page 2

Obi belt
Hakama black divided skirt/pants
Seiza formal kneeling position

GREETINGS
Rei bow or salutation
Reigi etiquette
Dozo please
Onegai Shimasu I request the favor
(final u is silent)
Domo Arigato I am very much/humbly obliged to you
Gozaimashita
Oheio gozaimusu Good morning
Kombanwa Good evening
Oyasumi Nasai Good night
Sayonara Goodbye

BODY PARTS
Men face or head
Shomen top or front of head
Yokomen side of head
Me eyes
Kuchi mouth
Kubi neck
Kata shoulder
Hiji elbow
Te hand
Tekubi wrist
Kokyu breath
Kote back of the hand
Tegatana little finger edge of the palm, hand blade
Mune chest and stomach region
Do trunk
Hara lower abdomen
Koshi lower back
Ashi leg
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TAIJUTSU PRACTICE
Taijutsu the unarmed Aikido techniques, body arts
Kokyu breathing, breath power
Ukemi the art of taking falls, literally receiving body.
Suwari Waza both nage and uke are kneeling
Hanmi handachi nage is kneeling and the uke attacks from a
standing position. Literally, half standing, half
sitting"
Kata prearranged attack/defense exercise
Atemi waza striking techniques
Henka waza variations, switching from one technique to
another
Kaeshiwaza counter techniques
Jiyu waza freestyle defense practice, any technique may
be used.
Tai no henko basic blending practice
Kokyo dosa or partner ki practice done in seiza, practice for
kokyu ho coordinating breath, ki & movement.
Tenkan turning around to the rear
Irimi entering in a straight line
Hantai in reverse order
Uke receiver a person who receive a technique. It
generally refers to the person who attacks and
is thrown.
Nage thrower a throw or the person who performs
the throw
Maai the distance between uke and nage. It literally
means Harmony of space.
AIKIDO TERMS page 4

ATTACKS
Dori a grab or hold
Uchi a strike
Shime a squeeze or choke
Katate dori one-handed grasp on one wrist
Morote dori two-handed grasp on one wrist
Ryote dori two-hands grasp, both wrists grasped
Kosa dori cross hand grab
Kata dori shoulder grab
Ryokata tori both shoulders grasped
Shomen uchi straight down strike to the top of the head
Yokomen uchi 45 strike to the side of the head
Tsuki a straight thrust or punch
Mune tsuki straight punch to the stomach or chest
Hiji dori elbow grab
Ushiro from behind
Eri dori collar grabbed from behind
Kubi shime neck choke
Mae geri front kick
Mawashi geri roundhouse kick
Yoko geri side kick
AIKIDO TERMS page 5

DEFENCES
Nage throw
Irimi entering
Omote to the front of uke
Ura to the rear of uke
Osae a pin
Uchi inside
Soto outside
Gaeshi reverse
Mawashi round, rotation
Ikkyo #one pinning technique (arm pin)
Nikyo #two pinning technique (inward wrist twist)
Sankyo #three pinning technique (vertical wrist twist)
Yonkyo #four pinning technique (wrist pin using
pressure on the nerve)
Gokyo #five pinning technique similar to ikkyo but with
reversed hand, for knife disarming
Shiho nage a throw to four sides or directions
Kote gaeshi outside wrist twist
Kokyu nage breath throw
Irimi nage entering throw
Kaiten nage rotary throw
Koshinage hip thow
Tenchi nage Heaven-Earth throw. ten means heaven
and chi means earth. The heaven - earth
position of the hand has one hand high and the
other low.
Juji garami entwined arms throw
Koshi nage hip throw
Aiki otoshi aiki drop, often against a rear bear hug
Sumi otoshi corner drop
Ude garami arm entwined lock
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WEAPONS
Katana the Japanese sword
Bokken wooden practice sword
Jo wooden staff (approx four feet long)
Tanto wooden practice knife
Suburi individual practice of a single movement of the ken
or jo
Tanto dori knife taking techniques
Tachi dori sword taking techniques
Jo tori staff taking techniques
Kumitachi 2 person sword practice
Kumi jo 2 person jo practice

NUMBERS
1 Ichi
2 Ni
3 San
4 Shi
5 Go
6 Roku
7 Shichi
8 Hachi
9 Kyu
10 Ju