Terminology: Japanese-English

General Terms

Aikido	Way of Spirit and Harmony, founded by Ueshiba Sensei
Arigato gozaimasu	Thank you
Bo	Staff (6 ft)
Budo	Martial Way
Bujutsu	Martial Art
Bunkai	Kata application
Dan	Degree / level
Do	The Way
Dojo	Karate school, place of the way
Dozo o ne gaishimasu	Please help me
Embusen	Directional lines
Gi	Uniform
Go	Hard
Go no sen	Attack first
Goju Ryu	Hard/soft Style, fifty-fifty, founded by Chojun Miyagi
Hajime	Begin
Hai	Yes
Hidari	Left
Hombu Dojo	Central School
Ikukumi	Decisive sparring where the senior does one final open-handed push as a counter-attack
Ippon Kumite	One-step sparring
Jiyu Kumite	Freestyle sparring
Jo	Short staff (4 ft)
Ju	Soft
Judo	Soft Way, founded by Dr. Kano
Kamaete	On guard with hands
Kara	Empty
Karate-do	Way of the Empty Hand
Karate-ka	Karate practioner
Kata	Pattern / form
Keiko	Training
Kiotsuke	Attention
Ki	Internal Spirit / Energy
Kiai	Spirit yell
Kihon	Basic
Kiso	Pre-arranged self-defense
Kobudo	Way of the Weapon
Koryu kata	Old style form
Kuchi waza	Mouth technician
Kumite	Sparring
Kyokai	Unity / Brotherhood
Kyu	Grade
Matae	Wait/Stop
Migi	Right
Mokuso	Meditate
Obi	Belt
Rei	Bow
Seiken	Fist
Seiza	Kneel
Sempai	Brother / Sister
Sen no sen	Attack as the attacker attacks
Sensei	Teacher
Sen sen no sen	Attack before the attacker attacks
Shihan	Teacher of teachers
Shin jin	Alter
Shinai	Bamboo sword
Shotokan	Shoto was Funakoshi’s pen name, the founder of Shotokan Shugyo-Spirit training
Te	Hands
Waza	Technique
Yame	Stop
Yoi	Ready
Yudansha	Black belt holder

Alter	shin jin
Attack as the attacker attacks	sen no sen
Attack before the attacker attacks	sen sen no sen
Attack first	go no sen
Attention	kiotsuke
Bamboo sword	shinai
Basic	kihon
Begin	hajime
Belt	obi
Black belt holder	yudansha
Bow	rei
Brother / sister	sempai
Central school	hombu dojo
Decisive sparring where the senior does one final open-handed push as a counterattack	ikukumi
Degree / level	Dan
Directional lines	Embusen
Empty	kara
Fist	seiken
Freestyle sparring	jiyu kumite
Go	hard
Grade	kyu
Hand	te
Hard/soft Style, fifty-fifty, founded by Chojun Miyagi	Goju Ryu
Internal Spirit / Energy	ki
Karate practioner	karate-ka
Karate school, “place of the way”	dojo
Kata Application	bunkai
Kneel	seiza
Left	hidari
Martial Art	bujutsu
Martial Way	budo
Meditate	mokuso
Mouth technician	kuchi waza
Old style form	koryu kata
“On guard with hands”	kamaete
One-step sparring	ippon kumite
Pattern / form	kata
Please help me	dozo o ne gaishimasu
Pre-arranged self-defense	kiso
Ready	yoi
Right	migi
Short staff (4ft)	jo
Shoto was the founder Funakoshi’s pen name	Shotokan
Soft	ju
Soft Way, founded by Dr. Kano	Judo
Sparring	kumite
Spirit training	shugyo
Spirit yell	kiai
Staff (6 ft)	bo
Stop	yame
Teacher	sensei
Teacher of teachers	shihan
Technique	waza
Thank you	arigato gozaimasu
The Way	do
Training	keiko
Uniform	gi
Unity / Brotherhood	kyokai
Wait/Stop	matae
Way of Spirit and Harmony, founded by Ueshiba Sensei	Aikido
Way of the empty hand	karate-do
Way of the Weapon	Kobudo
Yes	hai

Jodan uke	Head block
Chudan uke	Chest block
Gedan uke	Down block
Koken uke	Open-handed head block
Hiki uke	Open-handed chest block
Harai uke	Open-handed down block
Kauki uke	Flipping/Grabbing chest block
Ura uke	Sword block

Head block	jodan uke
Chest block	chudan uke
Down block	gedan uke
Open-handed head block	koken uke
Open-handed chest block	hiki uke
Open-handed down block	harai uke
Flipping/grabbing chest block	kauki uke
Sword block	ura uke

Mysubi dachi	Attention stance
Fudo dachi	Feet pointed in stance
Heiko dachi	Natural stance, feet pointed straight
Hachigi dachi	Natural stance, feet pointed out
Sanchin dachi	Basic stance
Kihan dachi	Fighting stance
Shiko dachi	Riding stance
Zen kutsu dachi	Front stance
Sho zen kutsu dachi	Short front stance
Neko ashi dachi	Cat foot stance
Kosa dachi	Crossed leg stance
Ko kutsu dachi	Back leaning stance
Kiba dachi	Riding stance w/ knees in
Sarui achi dachi	Crane foot stance

Attention stance	mysubi dachi
Feet pointed in stance	fudo dachi
Natural stance, feet pointed straight	heiko dachi
Natural stance, feet pointed out	hachigi dachi
Basic stance	sanchin dachi
Fighting stance	kihan dachi
Riding stance	shiko dachi
Front stance	zen kutsu dachi
Short front stance	sho zen kutsu dachi
Cat foot stance	neko ashi dachi
Crossed leg stance	kosa dachi
Back leaning stance	ko kutsu dachi
Riding stance w/ knees in	kiba dachi
Crane foot stance	sarui achi dachi

Thanks to Sensei Aaron Locke, Sensei Jeffre Firman, and Sensei Marlin Guest for providing some of the information found on this page.