Aikido terminology | Aikido principles | Aikido techniques
There is so much here for those who train in the art of Aikido. You can quickly learn the Aikido Japanese terminology, principles, philosophy and techniques of Aikido.
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Basic Pronunciation for the Japanese language
A = AArdvArk
I = pizza
U = blue
E = somewhere between Echo and table
O = bone
Never cluster the syllables when speaking.
For example; Aikido is pronounced “Eye-key-doh”
A
ai - harmony, unity, blending
aihanmi - A stance where both people have the same foot forward
aidori - Same sided wrist grab. Attacker/Uke uses right hand to grab Nage's right wrist
aikido - A way to spend your life harmonizing energy. Pronounced "Eye - key - doh"
aikidoka - An Aikido practitioner
Aikikai - The world headquarters of Aikido in Tokyo Japan. More commonly know as Hombu dojo
aikiken - aikido sword practice
aikiotoshi - More commonly known as the aiki-drop technique
aikitaiso - Specific warm up exercise for Aikido practitioners
aite - an opponent, not to be confused with Uke.
arigato - Thanks
arigato gozaimasu or gozaimashita - Thank you
ashi - Foot
atemi - A strike to no specific region of the body
B
Bo staff - longer than the jo
bokken or bokuto - Wooden training sword
bu - a state of war, battle, fight
budo - Japanese Martial arts
bugei - another term for martial arts or battle art
bushi - warrior
bushido - the way of the warrior
C
chikara - force/strength
choku - direct energy
chudan or chudan no kamae - In weapons, the hands are typically positioned in the middle of a person
D
Daito ryu aikijutsu - "One" of the parent arts of Aikido
dan - A black belt grade in the budo arts
deshi - Aikido student
do - The "Way or Path"
dogi - Uniform better known as a gi
dojo training hall or place of enlightenment
dojo cho - Chief instructor of a dojo
doka - poem about the way
domo arigato gozaimashita - Thank you very much. The nicest way to say thank you
dori - take or grab
dosa - movement
doshu - The leader of the Aikikai or Aikido world headquarters
dozo - please
E
embukai - a public demonstration
empi - a strike with the elbow
eri - lapel or collar
eridori - lapel grab
F
fukushidoin - a qualified teaching instructor
funakogi - The rowing exercise in the Shin kokyu practice. Sometimes referred as torifune
G
gaeshi - A returning of the force
gamae/kamae - A martial stance or on-guard
gasshuku - Seminar
gedan - A reference used in weapons where the hands and weapons are positioned low
geri - a kick. Nonspecific
gi - Uniform
giri/kiri - a sword or knife cut
go - 5
gokyo - The fifth principle teaching in Aikido
gomen nasai - I am sorry. Apologetic.
gyaku - the reverse or opposite. Usually describing the feet in a stance.
H
hachi - 8
hai - yes. Usually, there is enthusiasm/ positive tone when agreeing with someone.
hajime - to begin
hakama - traditional Japanese wide pants typically worn by yudansha
hanmi handachi - A starting position between 2 practitioners: 1 standing while the other is on his knees or where 1 person is half the stance of the other
happo - eight directions, compare shiho
hara - A place located a few inches below the navel. The place where your ki is greatest.
harai - Usually a foot sweep
henka waza - The ability to change techniques when engaged with an attacker
hidari - left
hiji - elbow
hijidori - elbow grab
hiza - knee
Hombu dojo - headquarters for the Aikikai Aikido association in Tokyo
I
ichi - 1
ichiban - first or best
iie - no
ikkyo - The first principle of Aikido
irimi - to enter or move forward
iriminage - classic entering throw used in Aikido
Iwama - A place in Japan, where O'sensei had a dojo and a home
J
jiyu waza - free form sparring with 1 person
jo - the short staff
jodan no kamae- A position in weaponry where the high hands or weapons is high
jodan tsuki - a strike to the head
jodori - the taking of the short staff from an attacker
ju - 10 it also means "Soft" as in ju jitsu
juji nage - a throw in Aikido where the forearm take on the character for 10 (+)
K
kaeshi - same as gaeshi returning, reverse
kaeshi waza - Reversals or counters to techniques
kai - school or club
kaiten nage - A rotary throw in Aikido
Kamae/gamae - A stance or guard position
kami - The Divine
kamiza - Usually depicting a spiritual place place in a dojo
kampai - cheers, toast
kanji - Chinese characters or writing
kata - forms. In Aikido, usually in weapons practice only.
kata - the shoulder
kata dori - shoulder grab
kata dori menuchi - shoulder grab followed by a strike to the face
katame waza - pinning techniques like Ikkyo, Nikyo, Sankyo, etc...
katana - the Japanese sword, also known as a ken
katate dori - a wrist grab. Right on left or vice versa
katate ryote dori - 2 wrists are grabbed by the Uke/attacker
keiko - training
ken - Japanese sword
kendo - Japanese sport sword
ki - spirit, life energy
kiai - A loud sound/shout that a martial artist makes to gather or create additional internal forces for power
kihon waza - basic techniques
kime - focusing
kimusubi - tying one's ki to that of the partner
ki no nagare- the flowing energy of Aikido
kiri - to cut
kiri kaeshi - a returning cut in kenjitsu
kohai - a junior practitioner
kokoro - heart, will or mind. Not to be confused with the organ.
kokyu - a coordination of the mind, body and breath of the cosmos
kokyu ho - a basic seated Aikido exercise to produce a throw
kokyunage - breath throw
koshi nage - hip throw
kote - wrist
kote gaeshi - a technique where the attackers wrist is reversed back into them.
kotodama or kototama - spiritual sounds and or words used in Japanese mysticism.
ku or kyu- 9
kubi - neck
kubishime - neck choke
kuzushi - a principle used in Aikido. The off setting of one's balance that precedes technique.
kyu - a non black belt grade
M
ma-ai - The understanding of space between 2 people
mae - front or forward
mae geri - front kick
maru - circle
mawashi geri - roundhouse kick
me - eye
men - the head
migi - right
misogi - the purification or cleansing process practiced in Aikido
mochi - to grip
mokuso - meditation
morote dori - when attacker grabs an arm with both hands. Much like that of holding a baseball bat.
mushin - a very advanced place where the mind is empty of thought
mudansha - a non-black belt practitioner of Aikido. Still in the kyu grade system.
mune - middle area of the body. Usually the abdomen
mune dori - same as eri dori
musubi - to bring together. This can be used in many different contexts.
N
nage - the person receiving the attack in practice
nana - 7 also pronounced shichi
ni - 2
Nihon - the Japanese language
nikyo - the second principle of Aikido. A pinning technique
ninin dori - two attackers who grab
Nippon - Japan
O
o - big or great
obi - belt
ocha - tea
omote - the front
onegai shimasu - a very polite way of requesting something. Will you train with me?
o' sensei - Morihei Ueshiba known as the great teacher
R
randori - multiple attackers
rei - to bow
ritsurei - a standing bow
rokkyo - the sixth principle in Aikido. An elbow pin
roku - 6
ryo - both
ryote dori - gripping both wrists
S
sabaki - the moving or action of something
samurai - Japanese warrior class
san - 3
sankakutai - a triangle shape stance not used in our dojo
sankyo - the third principle in Aikido. A wrist joint lock technique
sannin dori - a 3 person attack where they initially grab
satori - enlightenment in zen
seichusen - Centerline
seiza - the kneeling seated position
sempai - a senior student
sensei - teacher
shi - 4 or yon
shichi - 7 or nana
shidoin - instructor, middle title for aikido teacher, 4-5 dan, compare fukushidoin and shihan
shihan - Master instructor
shiho nage - four directional throw technique
shikaku - a place where the attacker finds themselves without advantage
shiki - courage
shikko - knee walking
shime - choke
shin - heart, will or mind
shinai - a bamboo sword
shinken - a principle used in Aikido that pertains to the sharpness of the Japanese sword intended to elevate the mental alertness of the practioner.
shinto - the way of the gods, Japanese religion
shisei - a principle practice that corrects posture both physically and energetically. Without proper shisei, you cannot truly advance.
shizentai - a natural body posture. The starting place for Aikido training
shodan - first grade or dan in black belt ranking
shodo - calligraphy
shomen - front or head piece of the dojo
shomen ni rei - bow to head place of the dojo
shomenuchi - a vertical cut with a sword or blow to head
shu ha ri - The 3 stages of learning; Mimic, engrain and then let go or forget
soto - outside or side
sumi - corner
sumimasen - excuse me
sutemiwaza - sacrifice throws where one will lose one's own balance to throw another
suwari waza - seated training
T
tachidori - Sword taking practice or technique
tachi waza - training standing up
tai - body
tai no henko - body changing and blending practice
tai sabaki - to move the body in aikido
taiso - exercises
takemusu aiki - improvised demonstration of technique. Without premeditated thought, the creative spirit of aikido takes over.
tameshi - test
tanden - same as hara
tanto - Japanese knife
tantodori - defense against knife
tao/dao - same as "Do" or path, way
tatami - practice mats originally made of bound straw
te - hand
tegatana - hand blade
tekubi - wrist
tenchinage - heaven & earth throw
tenkan - to turn, change or transform
toitsu ryoku - unified power
tsuba - sword guard
tsuka - sword hilt
tsuki - to strike, with a weapon or empty hand. This also means, "Openings" or vulnerability.
U
uchi - to hit
uchikomi - to hit repeatedly
uke - the attacker in aikido
ukemi - the art of falling
ura - the backside or rearward action
ushiro - behind or rear
ushiro geri - backward kick
ushiro ukemi - backward fall
ushiro waza - attacks from behind
W
wakizashi - short sword
waza - technique
Y
yamei - stop
yari - spear
Yoko - side, sideways, horizontal
yoko geri - side kick
yoko giri - horizontal cut
yokomen uchi - strike to the side of the head with the hand blade
yonkyo - the fourth principle in Aikido. A pressure point pinning technique
yudansha - Black belt status
Z
za - seated, sit
zanshin - unbroken concentration
zazen - sitting meditation, also called mokuso
zen - a form of Buddhism
zori - sandals
Numbers & Counting
1 ichi
2 ni
3 san
4 shi / yon
5 go
6 roku
7 shichi / nana
8 hachi
9 ku
10 ju, 11 ju ichi, 12 ju ni, 13 ju san
20 niju, 21 niju ichi, 22 niju ni, 23 niju san
30 san ju
40 yon ju
50 go ju
100 hyaku, 200 nihyaku, 300 sanbyaku, 400 yonhyaku, 500 gohyaku
1000 sen, 2000 nisen, 3000 sanzen, 4000 yonsen, 5000 gosen
