A
Abara bone: ribs
Ago: jaw, chin
Aiki Jinja: Aiki Shrine in Iwama, Japan
Aiki Rei Taisai: Grand Festival of Aiki, commemoration on 29 April at the Aiki Jinja
Arigato: thank you (informal)
Arigato gozaimashita: thank you very much (formal past)
Arigato gozaimasu: thank you very much (formal non-past)
Ashi: leg, foot
Ashi kubi: ankle
Atama: head
Atemi: strike (to a vital point)
B
Bokken: wooden sword
Bokuto: wooden sword
Budo: martial way
Budoka: someone who follows a martial way
Bujin: martial person
Buki: weapon
Bukiwaza: weapons technique(s)
C
Chudan: mid level
Chudan zuki: mid level thrust (chest)
D
Dan: step, degree (black belt rank)
Do: way
Dogi: way clothes, training uniform
Dojo: place of the way, training hall
Dojo cho: dojo head instructor
Domo arigato: thank you
Domo arigato gozaimashita: Thank you very much indeed (past)
Domo arigato gozaimasu: Thank you very much indeed (non-past)
-dori: Verb: toru- to take, to grasp
Doshu: Head of the Way, hereditary title of eldest son of the Ueshiba family
E
Embu: demonstration
Eri: collar, lapel
Eri jime: collar strangle
F
Fukuro shinai: bamboo and leather practice sword
Fudoshin: unmoving spirit
G
-gaeshi/kaeshi: reverse, turnover, sweep
Ganmen: face
Ganseki otoshi: dropping rocks and stones technique
Garamu: verb; twist up
-gatame/katame: to control, maintain
Gedan: low level
-geri/keri: kick
Go: five
Godan: fifth dan (black blet)
Gokyu: fifth kyu
Gomen nasai: I am sorry
Gyaku: opposite
H
Hachi: eight
Hachidan: eighth dan
Hai: yes
Hajime: start
Hakama: pleated trousers
Hanmi: half body
Hanmi handachi: one person standing and one person sitting
Happo: Eight directions
Happo giri: Eight directional cuts
Hara: abdomen, belly
Hasso no kamae: stance with the weapon held vertically at right shoulder
Henkawaza: variation
Hidari: left
Hiji: elbow
Hito emi: person's shadow
Hiza: knee
Hyaku: hundred
I
Ikkyo: first learning
Ikkyu: first kyu
In: yin, negative/inclusive principle
Irimi: entering
Iriminage: entering throw
J
Jiyu geiko: free training
Jiyu waza: freestyle techniques
Jo: staff
Jo dori: staff taking, disarming
Jo nage: staff retention
Jodan: upper level
Jodan no kamae: stance with weapon held above forehead
Jodan zuki: upper level thrust
Ju: ten
Juji: figure ten (cross shape)
Juji nage: cross shaped throw
Jutsu: art
K
Kaeshi waza: reversal technique, counter
Kaiten: revolve, turn, spin
Kaiten nage: revolving throw
Kakato: heel
Kamae: stance, posture, attitude
Kami: deity
Kami dana: shrine (shelf of the divine)
Kamiza: upper seat (area designated for seniors in the dojo)
Kangeiko: cold training, midwinter training
Kansetsu: joint
Kansetsu waza: joint tecnique
Kata: form
Kata: single
Kata: shoulder
Kata dori: shoulder grab
Katame waza: imobilising technique, pin
Katana: Japanese sword
Katate: one hand
Katate dori: one hand grab
Keiko: training
Keikogi: training clothes
Ken: sword
Keri: kick
Kesa: buddhist robe
Kesa giri: to cut diagonally along the lapel
Ki: life force
Kiai: harmonised energy, energetic shout
Kihon: basic
Kimusubi: tying together of energy
Ki no nagare: flowing with ki, fluid techniques
Kiri: cut
Kissaki: tip of the sword blade
Kiza: kneeling on heels with toes rolled under
Ko: small
Kodachi: small sword
Hohai: junior
Kokoro: heart, spirit
Kokoro gamae: attitude
Kokyu: breath, timing
Kokyu ho: breath method/exercise
Kokyu nage: breath/timing throw
Koryu: old school
Koryu bujutsu: pre-modern martial arts
Konbanwa: good evening
Konnichiwa: hello
Kosa dori: cross-hand grip
Koshi: hip
Koshi ita: back-plate of hakama
Koshi nage: hip throw
Kotai: firm
Kotai: change roles
Kote: wrist
Kote gaeshi: wrist twist
Kotodama: the study of the mystical power of language
Ku: emptiness, void
Ku: nine
Kubi: neck
Kubi nage: neck throw
Kuchi: mouth
Kudasai: please
Kuden: oral transmission, (secret) intergenerational spoken instruction
Kumi jo: paired staff routine
Kyu: nine
Kyu: level (pre black belt rank)
Kyusho: vital point
M
Maai: spacing
Mae: front
Mae ukemi: forward roll
Maki: wrap
Massugu: straight
Men: face
Menkyo: license
Migi: right
Mimi: ear
Misogi: purification
Mo ichido onegaishimasu: "once more please"
Mokuso: concentration, meditation
Morote dori: two hands grabbing one
Mudansha: someone who does not have a black belt
Mukyu: without rank
Muna dori: chest grab
Mune: chest
Musubi: tie up, knot, unite (birthing)
Mute: without hands
N
Nagare: flowing
Nage: throw, thrower
Nageru: verb; to throw
Naka: inside
Nana: seven
Nanadan: seventh dan
Naname: diagonal
Ne waza: ground techniques
Ni: two
Nidan: second dan
Nikyo: second learning
Nikyu: second kyu
O
Obi: belt
Okuden: deep transimission
Omote: front
Omote waza: techniques that are revealed to the public
Onegaishimasu: Please help me
Osaeru: verb; to hold, to restrain
Osae waza: pinning technique
Otagae ni rei: "bow to one another"
Otosu: verb; to drop
Owarimasu: verb; finish
Oyasumi nasai: good night
Oyowaza: applied technique
R
Randori: random attacks
Rei: bow
Reigi: etiquette
Riai: integrity of principles
Ritsurei: standing bow
Roku: six
Rokkyo: sixth learning
Rokkyu: sixth kyu
Rokudan: sixth dan
Ryokata: both shoulders
Ryokatadori: both shoulders grabbed
Ryote: both hands
Ryotedori: both hands grabbed
Ryu: school, system
S
Sabaki: action, motion
San: three
Sandan: third dan
Sankaku: triangle
Sankaku jime: triangular strangle
Sankyo: third learning
Sankyu: third kyu
Satori: awakening, enlightenment
Saya: scabbard
Sayonara: good bye
Sayu: right and left
Seigan: pure sight
Seigan no kamae: stance with butt of weapon at centre and tip at neck height
Seika tanden: point at the centre of gravity in the lower abdomen
Senaka: back
Sieza: kneeling (correct sitting)
Sempai: senior
Sensei: teacher
Sensei ni rei: "bow to the teacher"
Shaku: measure unit, about 30cm
Shi: four
Shidoin: instructor (from fifth dan)
Shiho: four direction
Shiho giri: four directional strike
Shihonage: four directioanal throw
Shihan: master teacher
Shikko: knee walking
Shime: strangle, choke
Shime waza: strangulation techniques
Shinai: bamboo sword
Shinsaiin: Grading panel
Shinsaiin ni rei: "bow to the grading panel"
Shita: down
Shizen: natural
Shizen tai: natural stance, feet shoulder width apart
Shodan: first dan
Shomen: centre of head
Shomen: front of the dojo
Shomen ni rei: "bow to the front"
Shomen uchi: strike to the centre of the head
Shoshinsha: beginner
Shugyo: intensive training
Shuriken: throwing blades
Sode: sleeve
Sodeguchi: opening of cuff
Soke: headmaster of particular koryu
Soto: outside
Soto deshi: student living away from dojo
Suburi: solo weapons exercise
Sumimasen: excuse me, pardon me
Sumi otoshi: corner drop
Sutemiwaza: sacrafice technique
Suwariwaza: seated technique
T
Tachi: sword
Tachi dori: sword taking technique
Tachiwaza: standing techniques
Taijutsu: body art, unarmed technique(s)
Tai no henka: preliminary partnered turning exercise
Tai sabaki: body movement
Tanden: elixir field, three focal points for energy, in the lower abdomen, the chest and the forehead
Taninzu gake: multiple attackers
Tanken: dagger
Tanken dori: knife taking, disarming
Tanren: forging
Tanren uchi: forging the body through mulitple strikes against a resilient target
Tanto: dagger
Tanto dori: knife taking, disarming
Tate no kamae: stance with jo standing vertically in front of the body
Tekubi: wrist
Te: hand
Te no hira: palm of hand
Tegatana: blade of hand (hand sword)
Ten: heaven
Tenchinage: heaven and earth throw
Tenkan: Pivot
Tenugui: multi-purpose towel/scarf
Tobu ukemi: flying fall, high-fall
Tori: verb; to take, hold, grab, the person who grabs
Tsuba: hand gaurd of sword
Tsuki: thrust, stab, punch
Tsuki no kamae: stance with staff horizontal at centre height
U
Uchi: inside
Uchi: strike
Uchi deshi: aprrentice, student living in the dojo
Ude: arm
Ude jime: elbow lock
Ue: up
Uke: receiver
Ukemi: receiving body, safe falling
Ura: rear
Ushiro: back
Ushiro ukemi: backward roll
Ushirowaza: techniques from behind
W
Wakarimasen: I dont understand
Wakarimashita: I understand
Wakizashi: short sword (sword thrust into the side)
Waki no kamae: stance with sword at right side, tip back
Waza: technique
Y
Yame: stop
Yari: spear
Yawara: old term for grappling/throwing
Yo: yang, positive/expansive principle
Yoi: ready
Yoko: side
Yoko ukemi: side roll
Yokomen: side of head, temple
Yokomenuchi: strike to side of head/neck
Yondan: Fourth dan
Yonkyo: fourth learning
Yonkyu: fourth kyu
Yubi: finger
Yukkuri: slowly
Z
Zanshin: remaining spirit
Zarei: seated bow
Zazen: seated meditation
Zengo: front and back
Zengo giri: cutting front and back
Zenshin: whole body
Zori: sandals