MARTIAL ARTS DICTIONARY
Japanese to English

Index: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A

Age	Rising.
Age tsuki	Rising punch.
Age uke	Rising block.
Ashi	Foot/leg.
Ashi guruma	Leg wheel.
Ashi hishigi	Leg crush.
Ashi kubi	Ankle.
Ashi kubi hishigi	Ankle crush.
Ashi waza	Foot techniques.
Atama	Head.
Atemi	Striking.
Atemi waza	Striking techniques.
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B

Bo	Staff (long).
Bogu	Protective armour used in traditional matches in Ryukyu Kempo. (see Kumite.) Equipment consists of men, metal barred and padded headgear, do, padded and reinforced chest protector: kote, gloves.
Bojitsu	Staff techniques (long).
Bunkai	Application of form.
Bushi	Warrior class of Japan.
Bushido	Way of the warrior.
Bujutsu	Fighting arts of the warrior class of Japan.
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C

Choku tsuki	Straight punch.
Chuan fa	Fist way.
Chudan	Middle (of body, i.e. torso).
Chudan Uke	Middle block.
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D

Dachi	Stance.
Dai Sempai	Most senior student.
Dan	Rank of black belt; 1st dan is the lowest, 10th the highest.
De ashi barai	Forward foot sweep.
Denzook	No count.
Do	The way.
Dojo	Exercise hall, the place where one practices the martial arts. Training academy or school, literally meaning "way place".
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E

Eku	Oar, used as a weapon in Okinawan Karate.
Empi	1. Elbow.
Empi	2. Name of a kata.
Empi uchi	Elbow strike.
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F

Fudo dachi	Rooted stance.
Fumikomi	Stamping kick.
Funakoshi, Gichin	Father of Japanese Karate.
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G

Ganmen	Face.
Ganmen shuto	Face knife-hand.
Gari	Reap.
Gatame	Hold, arm bar.
Geashi	Reversal.
Gedan	Lower, waist or below.
Gedan barai	Low block.
Gedan juji uke	Lower X-block.
Gedan shuto uke	Lower knife-hand block.
Gedan Uke	Low Block
Geri	Kick.
Gi	Uniform for practicing martial arts.
Go	Five.
Godan	5th level of black belt.
Gohon	Five-finger strike.
Gohon nukite	Five-finger spearhand.
Goshi	Hip throw.
Guruma	Wheel-like throw.
Gyaku	Reverse, reversal.
Gyaku tsuki	Reverse punch (opposite hand and leg).
Gyaky juji jime	Reverse cross choke.
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H

Hachi	Eight.
Hachiji dachi	Open leg stance.
Hachidan	8th level of black belt.
Hachimachi	Towel used as a headband.
Hadaka jimi	Naked choke.
Hadake	Choke/strangle.
Hadari	Left.
Hae makikomi	Springing winding throw.
Haishu	Back of the hand.
Haishu uchi	Back hand strike.
Haisoku	Instep.
Haisoku geri	Instep kick.
Haitto	Ridge hand (first knuckle of thumb and side of hand).
Haitto uchi	Ridge hand strike.
Hajimae	Begin.
Hane goshi	Hip spring.
Hangetsu dachi	Hourglass stance.
Hanshi	Highest level of instructor, usually 9th and 10th level red belt.
Hara	abdomen, believed to be the center of energy.
Hara tsurikomi ashi	Lift-pull foot sweep.
Harai goshi	Hip sweep.
Heisoku dachi	Attention stance.
Hidari	Left (side).
Hiji	Elbow strike (upward, downward, forward, rear).
Hittsui	Knee.
Hittsui geri	Knee strike (upward, side).
Hiza	Knee.
Hiza guruma	Knee wheel.
Hon	Fingers. See also Gohon.
Hombu	Headquarters.
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I

Ichi or Sho	One.
Ippon	Full point in a contest.
Ippon ken (tsuki)	One knuckle fist.
Ippon kumite	One step sparring.
Ippon Seoi Nage	One-armed shoulder throw.
Irimi waza	Entering techniques.
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J

Jigo-tai	Defensive posture.
Jimi	Choke/strangle.
Jiyu kumite	Free sparring.
Jo	Short staff.
Jodan	Upper, shoulders or above.
Jodan juji uke	High X-block.
Jo-jitsu	Short staff techniques.
Joseke	Upper seat.
Ju	Ten.
Judo	A martial arts style featuring throwing.
Judo	Literally, "gentle way", referring to giving way in order to gain victory.
Judan	10th level of black belt (red).
Judoka	Practitioner of Judo.
Ju-ichi	Eleven.
Juji	Cross. Juji gatame , juji uke .
Juji gatame	Cross-body arm bar through legs and across hips.
Juji uke	X-block.
Jutsu	"Art", Karate Jutsu, Bo Jutsu, etc.
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K

Kagi tsuki	Hook punch.
Kai	Association.
Kakato	Heel.
Kakato uke	Bent wrist block.
Kake	Application of the technique.
Kama	Sickle, used in pairs in Okinawan Karate.
Kamae	Posture.
Kami shio gatame	Upper four-corner hold.
Kano, Jigoro	Founder of Judo.
Kansetsu	Joint lock.
Kansetsu waza	Joint locking techniques.
Kara	Empty.
Karate	A martial arts style featuring strikes.
Karate	Literally, "empty hand".
Kata	1. Stylized form, pre-arranged techniques. Nage no kata .
Kata	2. Shoulder. Kata guruma .
Kata gatame	Shoulder hold.
Kata guruma	Shoulder wheel throw.
Kata ha jime	Single wing choke.
Kata juji jime	Half cross choke.
Katame	Grappling.
Katame waza	Grappling and ground-fighting techniques. Also known as Ne-waza .
Katana	Long sword.
Katate Tori	Grasping of hands.
Katsu	Revival techniques.
Keage	"Snap", keage geri, "Snap Kick".
Kempo	Fist way.
Kendo	Japanese sword fighting.
Keri waza	Kicking techniques.
Kesa gatame	Scarf hold.
Ki	Vital energy.
Kiai	Shout or yell with vital energy ( ki ).
Kiba dachi	Horse stance.
Kihon	The continuous practice of techniques without a partner.
Kime	Focus.
Kitskay	Attention.
Kodokan	Headquarters of Judo in Japan.
Kodokan	Literally, "school for studying the way".
Koko uchi	Tiger mouth strike.
Kokutsu dachi	Back stance.
Koshi	1. Hip.
Koshi	2. Ball of the foot.
Koshi guruma	Hip wheel throw.
Koshi waza	Hip techniques.
Kosoto gakae	Minor outer hook.
Kosoto gari	Minor outer reaping throw.
Kouchi gari	Minor inner reaping throw.
Ku	Nine.
Kumikata	Methods of holding.
Kumite	Sparring.
Kusarigama	Sickle with a rope or chain attached.
Kusho	Vital points of the body.
Kuzushi	Unbalancing (eight directions).
Kyu	Grade under black belt; 10 th kyu is the lowest and 1 st the highest.
Kyusho	Vital point.
Kyusho-jitsu	Pressure point strikes.
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L

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M

Ma-ai	Distance.
Mae	Front.
Mae geri	Front kick.
Mae geri keage	Front snap kick.
Mae geri kekomi	Front thrust kick.
Mae tobi geri	Jump front kick.
Makiwara	Punching board.
Matae	Stop.
Mawashi geri	Roundhouse kick.
Mawashi tsuki	Roundhouse punch.
Migi	Right (side).
Mikazuki	Crescent.
Mikazuki geri	Crescent kick.
Mikazuki geri uke	Crescent kick block.
Moro	Augmented. Morote tsuki .
Morote seoi nage	Two arm shoulder throw.
Morote tsuki	Double forward fist strike.
Morote uke	Double forearm block.
Mudansha	Non black belt holder.
Mushin	Mind of no mind.
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N

Nage	Throwing.
Nage waza	Throwing techniques.
Nage no kata	Formalized throws.
Naginata	Halberd, used by Japanese women.
Nami juji jime	Normal cross choke.
Necho	Cat.
Necho ashi dachi	Cat stance.
Ne-waza	Ground fighting techniques, also known as katame waza .
Ni	Two.
Nidan geri	Double jump kick.
Nihon nukite	Two finger spear hand.
Nihon nukite	See also Gohon nukite , Nukite .
Ni-ju	Twenty.
Ni-ju-ichi	Twenty one.
Nukite	Spear hand.
Nunchaku	Flail-like weapon of two rods joined by rope or chain.
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O

Obi	Belt.
O goshi	Major hip throw.
O guruma	Major wheel throw.
Oi tsuki	Forward lunge punch (same side hand and leg).
Okinawa te	Okinawan hand.
Okuri ashi barai	Foot sweep.
Okuri eri jime	Sliding collar choke.
Osae komi	Hold-down.
Osae komi waza	Hold-down techniques.
Osoto gari	Major outer reaping throw.
Osoto guruma	Major outer wheel throw.
Ouchi gari	Major inner reaping throw.
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P

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Q

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R

Randori	Free practice (judo sparring).
Rei	Bow.
Roku	Six.
Ryu	Style of school or martial art.
Ryukyu	Okinawa.
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S

Sai	Three-pronged metal weapon.
San	Three.
Sanchin dachi	Hourglass stance (derived from Sanchin kata).
San-ju	Thirty.
Sasae tsurikomi ashi	Propping ankle throw.
Seiza	Sitting position.
Sempai	Senior.
Sensei	Teacher.
Shi	Four.
Shiai	Contest.
Shichi	Seven.
Shihan	Master instructor (4 th -5 th Dan).
Shime	Choke.
Shime waza	Choking techniques.
Shizen-tai	Natural posture.
Shotei	Palm heel strike (also may use as block).
Shuto	Knife-edge hand (little-finger side of palm).
Shuto uchi	Knife hand strike.
Shuto uke	Knife hand block.
Soto	Outside (of opponent's stance).
Soto makikomi	Outer winding throw.
Soto shuto	Outside knife-hand block.
Sukui nage	Scooping throw.
Sumi gaeshi	Corner throw.
Sumi otoshi	Corner drop.
Sutemi	Sacrifice.
Sutemi-waza	Sacrifice techniques.
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T

Tachi-waza	Standing throwing techniques.
Tai otoshi	Body drop.
Tameshiwari	Breaking demonstration.
Tanden	Point just below the navel.
Tani otoshi	Valley drop.
Tanto	Short sword.
Tate tsuki	Vertical punch (boxer's jab).
Te	Hand. See also Karate.
Teisho	Palm heel.
Teisho tsuki	Palm heel punch.
Teisho uchi	Palm heel strike.
Teisho uke	Palm heel block.
Teiji dachi	T-stance.
Tettsui	Hammer fist; downward strike with closed fist, little finger side as the striking surface.
Te-waza	Hand techniques.
Tomoe nage	Stomach throw.
Tonfa	Wooden rod with handle at right angle, used in pairs.
Tori	Defender, demonstrator of technique.
Torite	See tuite.
Tsuki	Punch; knuckle strike with first two knuckles only.
Tsuki waza	Punching techniques.
Tsukuri	Stepping into the throw.
Tsuri goshi	Lifting hip throw.
Tsurikomi goshi	Lifting-pulling hip throw.
Tuite	1. Grappling techniques.
Tuite	2. Using pressure points for joint manipulation.
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U

Uchi	Strike.
Uchideshi	Special disciple.
Uchikomi	Repeated practice of throwing techniques.
Uchi mata	Inner thigh throw.
Uchi waza	Striking techniques.
Ude	Forearm.
Ude uki	Forearm block.
Uke	Block. Age uke.
Ukemi	Falling and rolling exercises.
Uki	Attacker, to whom techniques are done.
Uki goshi	Floating hip throw.
Uki otoshi	Floating drop.
Uki waza	Floating throw.
Ulna	(English) Bone on little-finger side of wrist.
Ulna press	Straight arm bar with wrist on opponent's elbow.
Uraken uchi	Back fist strike.
Ura nage	Back throw.
Ushiro	Rear.
Ushiro geri	Back kick.
Ushiro goshi	Back hip throw.
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V

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W

Waza	Technique.
Katame waza	Mat work.
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X

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Y

Yama	Mountain.
Yama bushi	Mountain warriors.
Yama tsuki	U-punch.
Yari	Spear.
Yoi	Ready.
Yoko	Side.
Yoko gake	Side body drop.
Yoko geri	Side kick.
Yoko guruma	Side wheel.
Yoko kekome	Side thrust kick.
Yoko otoshi	Side drop.
Yoko shio gatame	Side four corner hold.
Yoko tobo geri	Jump side kick.
Yoko wakare	Side separation.
Yudansha	One who is a black belt.
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Z

Zazen	Sitting meditation.
Zen	1. Buddhist sect.
Zen	2. Religious meditation.
Zenkutsu dachi	Forward stance.
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Frank Zinck

MARTIAL ARTS DICTIONARY Japanese to English

MARTIAL ARTS DICTIONARY
Japanese to English