Extended glossary

Reference list Aikido words

This is a more detailed glossary of Aikido words, which are grouped by topic. You can also use this list as a reference for the exam requirements. For example, the techniques and attacks are clearly arranged. This glossary is of course limited and is intended to support the Aikido class and the preparation for the exams.

Aikido glossary expanded:

Body
Direction
Posture
Techniques, training
Exercise, training
Falling
Body movement
Basic Techniques
Attack
Principles
Numbers
Clothing
Greetings
Various

Scroll through the list or download Aikido glossary extended

Body

Japans	English	Usage
Ude	Arm	Udekimenage: arm throw
Te	Hand	Tegatana : sword hand
Mune	Chest	Munedori: grab lapels at the chest
Koshi	Hip	Koshinage: hip throw
Kote (Tekubi)	Wrist	Kotegaeshi: wrist turn (lock) throw
Kata	Shoulder	Kata dori: grab the shoulders
Hiji	Elbow	Hijikimeosae: elbow lock (rokyo)
Eri / iri	Neck, collar	Eridori / iridori: grab the collar at the back of the neck
Kubi	Neck, throat	Kubishime: strangulation

Directions
Mae	Forward	Mae ukemi
Ushiro	Backward	Ushiro ukemi
Yoko	Sideways	Yoko ukemi
Omote	Front
Ura	Backside
Uchi	Inside	Uchikaiten nage: inside wheel throw
Soto	Outside	Sotokaiten: outside wheel throw
Jodan	High	Jodan tsuki: strike (punch) at the head
Chudan	Middle
Gedan	Low

Posture
Kamae	Basic posture
Hanmi	(Basic)stand	Han: half
Hidari hanmi	Basic stand with left foot forward
Migi hanmi	Basic stand with right foot forward
Aihanmi	Equal position
Gyaku hanmi	Mirror position
Hanmi handachi	Half sitting, half standing
Shisei	Attitude
Shizentai	Natural posture (feet together)
Sankakuho	Triangular position, feet are in hanmi	Sankaku: triangle
Seiza	Sit on heels
Kiza	Kneeling on toes
Jodan (no) kamae	Position with weapon above the head
Hasso (no) kamae	Position with weapon next to the head

Techniques, training
Waza	Technique(s)	Also: training method
Katame waza	(Joint) lock techniques	Different from nage / nage waza
Nage waza / nage	Throw(s)	Nage: sometimes also used as a synonym for tori
Suwariwaza	training in the sitting position
Tachiwaza	training in the standing position
Hanmi handachiwaza	sitting/standing training	Tori defends in a sitting position while uke attacks in a standing position
Kihon waza	Basic techniques
Jiyu waza	Free techniques	Free training
Kaeshi waza	Counter techniques
Henka waza *	Change techniques	Change a technique during the performance of a technique
Oyo gi/waza **	Applied technique	Application of principles of the technique

*/** Henka waza are techniques in which you use one technique and then switch to the execution of another technique (for example from nikyo to rokyo, from ikkyo to iriminage). Oyo waza is the application of the principles of the technique: tori reacts to what is happening at that moment, for example because uke blocks. The distinction is sometimes difficult to make and henka waza / oyo waza may overlap. See a discussion on this: . They are not actually a fixed sets of techniques, but a way (for advanced students) to investigate techniques. Henka waza is about the relationship between techniques and oyowaza about being able to react 'beyond the (basic) techniques' and giving a creative interpretation to personal techniques (jiyu oyogi). They are therefore not sets of examination techniques.

Exercise, practice
Keiko	Practice
Suburi	Solo practice with sword and stick
Ikkyo undo	Ikkyo movement in four directions
Kokyu ho	Breath power exercise	Often at the end of the lesson
Aikiken	Sword (ken) exercises for Aikido	Not: sword fighting (kenjutsu)
Aikijo	Stick (jo) exercises for Aikido
Randori	Throwing of more than one attackers

Falling
Ukemi	Fall, to roll
Mae ukemi*	Forward roll
Mae ukemi (kaiten)	Forward roll
Mae ukemi chokuto	Forward break fall	Distribute the impact on the lower arms
Ushiro ukemi (kaiten)	Backwards roll
Ushiro ukemi chokuto	Backwards break fall	Distribute the impact by straightening the arms
Yoko ukemi (kaiten)	Sideway roll
Yoko ukemi chokuto	Sideway break fall	Distribute the impact by straightening the arm

* Mae ukemi is most commonly used when referring to the forward roll. It is not common practice to say mae ukemi kaiten. However, mae ukemi chokuto is used to refer to the forward break fall. When both techniques are asked for in succession, mae ukemi kaiten can be used to emphasize the differences between techniques.

Body movement
Taisabaki	Movement of the body
Irimi	Forward movement
Tenkai	Half rotation	Turn without a step
Tenkan	Half rotation with step	Turn with a step backwards
Irimi tenkai / kaiten*	Step forwards followed by half turn	Step forwards and turn without further steps
Ayumi ashi	Walking	With one foot in front of the other
Tsugi ashi	Sliding step	One foot stays in front
Shikko	Walking on your knees

*There is a difference of opinion on the use of kaiten as taisabaki. In Uchikaiten/Sotokaiten, 'kaiten' means: kaiten (wheel turn). But literally: kai = turn, ten = body. So tenkai and kaiten mean more or less the same thing: your body rotates / turns your body. Originally the taisabaki were: irimi, tenkai, tenkan, irimi tenkai, irimi tenkan (step in, turn, turn with step, enter and turn, enter and turn and one step backwards). There is also a language development to indicate Irimi tenkai simply as kaiten.

Basic techniques
Ikkyo	First form
Nikyo	Second form
Sankyo	Third form
Yonkyo	Fourth form
Gokyo	Fifth form
Rokyo	Sixth form	Udeshigi, hijikimeosae
Iriminage	Entering throw
Shihonage	Throw of 4 directions
Kotegeashi	Throw by twisting the wrist	Gaeshi: turn
Uchikaiten nage	Wheel throw from the inside
Sotokaiten nage	Wheel throw from the outside
Uchikaiten kata katame	Wheel turn with shoulder lock
Koshinage	Hip throw
Udekimenage	Arm lock throw
Udegaraminage	Arm wrapping throw
Tenchinage	Heaven and earth throw
Jujigarami / jujinage	Crossed arm throw
Sumiotoshi	Corner throw
Kokyu nage	Breath power throw	Basic exercise, no technique

Attack
Katate*	One hand
Dori	Form
Katatedori	Wrist grab
Aihanmi katatedori	Wrist grab in crossed stance
Gyaku hanmi katatedori	Wrist grab in mirror stance
Shomenuchi	Strike the head from above
Yokomenuchi	Strike the head from the side
Katadori	Grab the shoulder
Sodedori	Grab the sleeves of the suit	Sode: sleeve
Munedori	Grab the lapels at the chest
Ryotedori ryotemochi	2 hands grab 2 wrists	Ryote: 2 hands
Katate ryotedori	2 hands grab 1 wrist	Also known as morotedori
Katadori menuchi	Grab the sleeve at the shoulder and strike at the head
Tsuki	Strike
Chudan tsuki	Strike the belly / solar plexus	With or without weapon
Jodan tsuki	Strike towards the head
Ushiro ryo(kata)tedori	Grab 2 wrists from behind
Ushiro ryo katadori	Grab 2 shoulders from behind
(Ushiro) munedakeshime	Lock (from behind)
Ushiro kubeshime	Strangulation with wrist grab
Iridori (eridori)	Grab the back of the neck from behind
Tanto dori	Defence against knife
Jo dori	Defence against stick
Tachi dori	Defence against sword
Futaridori / futarigake	2 attackers
Atemi	strike

*In Japanese, the same sounds may have different meanings. In writing there is a difference (in the kanji), but during the pronunciation you can't hear this. Thus, kata can mean: one, shape or shoulder. Uchi means strike, inward or attacker. This can be confusing if you try a systematic approach to understand the terms.

Principles
Ma-ai	Distance
Kime	Projection
Ki no nagare	Flowing technique
Kokyu	Breath power	Kokyu (ryoku)
Kuzushi	Disturbing / destroying the balance
Sen	Timing
Zanshin	Alertness

Numbers		Native numbers
Ichi	1	Hitotsu
Ni	2	Futatsu
San	3	Mittsu
Shi, yon	4	Yottsu
Go	5	Itsutsu
Roku	6	Muttsu
Shichi, nana	7	Nanatsu
Hachi	8	Yattsu
Ku (kyu)	9	Kokonotsu
Yu	10	Tô

* Numbers are confusing in Japanese too. When you just list the numbers you will use different words than when you are counting objects. For different things there are different numeric systems you have to use in Japanese. There are different numbers for animate and inanimate objects. There are also different numbers for height and width. And also there are different ways to refer to the numbers themselves. Here the list on the left is the Sino-Japanese (on’yomi) reading and the list on the right is the native kun’yomi reading.

Clothing
Keiko gi	Training suit
Obi	Belt
Hakama	Pants	Traditional Japanese clothing
Zori	Slippers

Greetings
Hai	Yes
Onegaishimasu	Please (do your best)
Domo arigato gozaimasu	Thank you very much
Zarei	Sitting greetings	Za: sit; Rei: greeting, bowing
Ritsurei	Standing greetings
Reigi / reishiki	Etiquette
Shomen ni rei	Greetings towards shomen	Is used during examination rituals
Sensei ni rei	Greeting the teacher(s)	Is used during examination rituals
Otakai ni rei	Greeting each other	Is used during examination rituals

Various
Tate	Get up
Hajime	Start
Budo	Japanese martial arts
Embukai	Public demonstration
Kamiza	Central or high spot	Also shomen
Kata	Shape, shoulder, one
Tanden	Center of the body
Tachi	Sword, portrait	Katana, ken, to

Translated from our Dutch website by Andrea Maruccia and Sheila Clement I 2018

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Extended glossary

Aikido glossary expanded:

Body

Directions

Posture

Techniques, training

Exercise, practice

Falling

Body movement

Basic techniques

Attack

Principles

Numbers

Native numbers

Clothing

Greetings

Various