Vocabulary, Phrases, & Belts/Levels

• Phrases
• Vocabulary
• Belts / Levels
  

Phrases

Vocabulary

Aikido (eye-kee-doe)

Ai (harmony), Ki (spirit), Do (The Way or Path)

Atemi waza (ah-te-mee wah-zah)

striking techniques

Bokken (bow-ken)

wooden sword used in practice

Bushido (boo-shee-doe)

the way of the warrior

Dan (dawn)

aikido grade holder, black belt rank

Deshi (day-shee)

student, pupil, disciple

Dojo (doe-joe)

training hall (formally, a term used by Buddhist priests in reference to their place of worship)

Doshi (doe-shee)

comrade, friend (used among fellow aikidoists)

Gaeshi (guy-eh-shee)

to reverse

Gi (ghee)

training clothes

Hakama (ha-kah-ma)

a divided, pant-like skirt worn for training

Hanmi (hawn-mee)

a posture in which one foot is advanced one step and the body weight is distributed equally on both feet; triangular stance.

Hanmi Handachi (hawn-mee hawn-dah-chee)

nage (the thrower) is kneeling and uke (the attacker) approaches from a standing position

Hara (har-ah)

lower abdomen; physical and spiritual center; center of existence

Hidari (he-dah-ree)

left (direction)

Hiji (he-gee)

elbow

Irime (ee-ree-mee)

to enter, entering

Jiyu (gee-you)

free style

Jiyu waza (gee-you wa-zah)

free style techniques/practice

Jo (joe)

wooden staff

Kaiten (kaye-ten)

to revolve or rotate

Kata (kah-tah)

shoulder; also means form, as in practice or pre-arranged exercise(s)

Katate (kah-tah-tay)

one hand (left or right)

Keiko (kay-ko)

practice session, training

Ken (ken)

Japanese sword

Ki (kee)

Spirit -- the vital force of the body; Universal energy; a stream or flow of positive energy

Kiai (Kee-eye) or Kokyu (coke-you)

breath power; the coordination of ki flow with breathing

Kokyu Dosa (coke-you doh-sah)

a method of off-balancing and pinning your partner with your ki instead of with your physical power

Koshi (koh-shee)

hips, waist (also spelled goshi)

Kubi (coo-bee)

neck

Kyu (cue)

aikido rank, class; a mudansha (undergraduate)

Ma ai (mah-eye)

distance between uke and nage, meaning harmony of space

Men (men)

face, head

Migi (mee-ghee)

right (direction)

Nage (nah-gay)

throw, the person who throws

Obi (oh-bee)

belt

O'Sensei (Oh sen-say)

Morehei Ueshiba, the great teacher

Randori (ran-door-ri)

attack by ukes (multiple opponents)

Rei (ray)

salutation, bow

Ryote (ree-oh-tay)

both hands

Samurai (sam-oh-rye)

military retainer of the Japanese feudal period

Sempai (sem-pay)

senior student

Sensei (sen-say)

teacher, instructor (e.g. O'Quin Sensei, McAllister Sensei)

Seiza (say-zah)

formal sitting posture

Shiho (shee-ho)

four directions

Shimi (shee-mee)

to choke

Shodan (show-dawn)

holder of the first grade black belt

Shomen (show-men)

front or top of the head

Suburi (soo-boo-ree)

a single movement using the ken or jo, done as a solo practice

Suetemi (soo-the-mee)

a hard fall; literally, to throw or sacrifice the body

Suwari Waza (sue-wah-ree wah-zah)

sitting techniques

Tachi (tah-chee)

Japanese sword

Tachi-Dori (tah-chee doe-ree)

techniques of taking a sword from an opponent

Taijutsu (tie-jut-sue)

Body arts; the techniques of aikido done without weapons

Tai No Henko (tie-no-hen-ko)

basic blending practice

Tanto (tanto)

wooden knife

Te (tay)

hand

Tegatana (tay-gah-tah-nah)

hand blade; sword edge of the hand

Te Kubi (tay-koo-be)

wrist

Tenchi (ten-chee)

ten (heaven), chi (earth); a position of the hands, one high (up) and one low (down)

Tsuki (t-skee)

thrust, punch

Uchi (ooh-chee)

to strike

Uke (ooh-kay)

a person who receives an attack; generally, uke refers to the person being thrown

Ukemi (ooh-kem-mee)

The art of falling away from harm; a breakfall

Ushiro (ooh-shee-row)

Back, behind, rear

Waza (wah-zah)

techniques

Yokomen (yoh-ko-men)

side of the head

Yudansha (yoo-dawn-sha)

black belt grade holder(s)

Belts / Levels