JAPANESE TERMS
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 Numerals Ranks Notes
A
- ashi : foot; leg; synonymous with soku
- ashi waza : foot and leg techniques
B
- barai : spelling of harai when following another word
- bushido : Moral code of honour
- butsukari : type of randori where one person does the attacking
C
- chui : Penalty Point (-5) : No Longer used, replaced by second shido
D
- dan : degree or step; in Japanese martial arts, used for black belt ranks (see belt ranks)
- de : advanced; forward
- do : way
- dojo : exercise hall; the place where one practices the martial arts
- dori : spelling of tori when following another word
E
- eri : lapel; collar
F
- fusen-gachi : win by default
G
- gake : spelling of kake when following another word
- garami : spelling of karami when following another word
- gari : reap; reaping
- gatame : spelling of katame when following another word
- gaeshi : spelling of kaeshi when following another word
- gi : uniform for practicing martial arts
- go : five (see numerals)
- godan : fifth degree; fifth degree black belt (see belt ranks)
- gokyu : fifth class (see belt ranks)
- goshi : spelling of koshi when following another word
- guruma : spelling of kuruma when following another word
- gyaku : reverse; opposite
H
- ha : 1. edge (of a sword) 2. wing; e.g., kataha jime
- hachi : eight (see numerals)
- hachidan : eighth degree; eighth degree black belt (see belt ranks)
- hadaka : naked; nude; bare
- hadari : left (side)
- hajime : begin
- hane : springing or bouncing
- hanshi : honorific title given in recognition of one's character, not just technical ability in a given martial art
- hansoku make : disqualification
- hantei : decision request
- hara : stomach
- harai : (barai) sweep; sweeping
- hidari : left (side)
- hiki-wake : drawn contest
- hishigi : crush; break; sprain
- hiza : knee
- ho : direction; side; way; e.g., shiho
I
- ichi : one (see numerals)
- ikkyu : first class (see belt ranks)
- ippon : scoring full point (+10)
J
- jigotai : defensive posture
- jime : spelling of shime when following another word
- joseke : upper seat
- ju : 1. ten (see numerals) 2. gentle;
- judan : tenth degree; tenth degree black belt (see belt ranks)
- judo : sport martial art featuring throwing; founded by Jigoro Kano in the late 19th and early 20th centuries; literally, "gentle way"
- judogi : judo suit
- judoka : practitioner of judo
- juji : cross
K
- kaeshi : (gaeshi) counter; reversal; return; answer
- kaeshi waza : counter technique
- kake : (gake) hooking or clipping action
- kami : 1. god; spirit; divine 2. upper body; top
- kamiza (joza): upper seat (seat of honour)
- Kano, Jigoro : founder of judo
- kansetsu : knuckle or joint
- kansetsu waza : joint-locking techniques in judo
- karami : (garami) entanglement; entwined
- kata : 1. stylised form; pre-arranged techniques used to practice many martial arts 2. shoulder; e.g., kata guruma 3. one-sided; one (of two); e.g., kataha jime
- kataha : single edge; single wing
- katame : (gatame) hardening; fortifying; tightening; used in judo to mean grappling or a hold or lock
- katame waza : grappling techniques of judo; often used interchangeably with ne waza
- keikoku : Penalty Point (-7) : No Longer used, replaced by third shido
- kesa : scarf; in particular, the scarf of a Buddhist monk
- kiken-gachi : win by withdrawal
- kime : focus
- kiotsuke : to command someone to pay attention
- ko : minor; compare to o; e.g., kosoto gari
- Kodokan : headquarters of judo in Japan; literally, "school for studying the way"; also used when referring to judo, as in Kodokan Judo.
- koka : scoring point (+3)
- komi : to be inserted, crowded, or mixed
- koshi : (goshi) hip; waist; loin
- koshi waza : hip techniques
- ku : nine (see numerals)
- kubi : neck
- kudan : ninth degree; ninth degree black belt (see belt ranks)
- kumikata : methods of holding
- kuruma : (guruma) wheel
- kuzure : broken; collapsed
- kuzushi : unbalancing (in judo, there are eight directions of unbalancing, corresponding to the eight directions of the compass)
- kyu : class; grade; rank; in Japanese martial arts, used for ranks under black belt (see belt ranks)
L
M
- mae : front
- makikomi : to wrap around, enfold, wind up, or roll up in a whirlpool- or windmill-like movement
- masutemi waza : sacrifice techniques
- matte : stop
- mi : the body; one's self; e.g., sutemi
- migi : right (side)
- morote : two hands; both hands
- mudansha : non-black belt holder
- mune : chest
N
- nage : throw
- nage waza : throwing techniques in judo
- nage no kata : formalized throws
- nana : seven (see numerals)
- nanadan : seventh degree; seventh degree black belt; also called shichidan (see belt ranks)
- ne : ground; root; base
- ne waza : ground techniques or matwork in judo; often used interchangeably with katame waza
- ni : two (see numerals)
- nidan : second degree; second degree black belt (see belt ranks)
- nikyu : second class (see belt ranks)
- no : archaic possessive particle; e.g., nage no kata
O
- o : major; compare to ko; e.g., ogoshi
- obi : belt
- okuri : chasing; sliding
- osae : pressure
- osae komi : pressing; holding-down; pinning; immobilizing
- osae komi waza : pinning techniques of judo
- otoshi : drop
P
Q
R
- randori : free practice or sparring in judo
- rei : bow
- ritsu rei : standing bow
- rokkyu : sixth class (see belt ranks); also spelled rokyu or rokukyu
- roku : six (see numerals)
- rokudan : sixth degree; sixth degree black belt (see belt ranks)
- rokukyu : alternative spelling of rokkyu
- rokyu : alternative spelling of rokkyu
- ryu : school
S
- san : three (see numerals)
- sandan : third degree; third degree black belt (see belt ranks)
- sankyu : third class (see belt ranks)
- sasae : propping; supporting
- seiza : traditional Japanese sitting position (on knees)
- sempai : senior
- sensei : teacher
- seoi : shoulder
- shi : four
- shiai : contest
- shiai jo : contest area
- shiban : referee
- shido : penalty point (-3)
- shichi : seven (see numerals)
- shichidan : seventh degree; seventh degree black belt; also called nanadan (see belt ranks)
- shihan : master or senior instructor
- shiho : every direction; literally, "four directions"
- shime : (jime) choke; strangle
- shime waza : choking or strangling techniques of judo
- shimoseki : low side
- shimoza : low seat
- shizen-tai : natural posture
- shodan : beginning degree or step; in Japanese martial arts, used as the rank of 1st degree black belt (see belt ranks)
- sode : sleeve
- sogo gachi : compound win
- sono mama : do not move (freeze)
- sore made : that is all (end of session)
- soto : outside; outer
- sukui : to scoop up
- sumi : corner
- sute : sacrifice
- sutemi : sacrificing one's self
- sutemi waza : self-sacrificing techniques
T
- tachi : (dachi) . stance; standing
- tachi waza : standing techniques (techniques done from the standing position)
- tai : the body
- tani : valley
- tatami : a rice straw mat commonly used in traditional Japanese homes to soften the hard wooden floors; also used in some Japanese martial arts to provide a relatively soft surface to take hard falls
- tate : vertical
- tawara : straw rice bag; bale
- te : hand
- te waza : hand techniques
- toketa : broken
- tokui waza : favourite technique
- tomoe : comma-like design or shape
- tori : (dori) pull; grab; grasp; take; take away; in Japanese martial arts, the one who performs or demonstrates ("takes") a technique; compare to uke
- tsukuri : stepping into the throw
- tsuri : fishing; to lift up (as when hooking a fish)
- tsurikomi : lifting and pulling up in a circular motion (as when hooking a fish); taking in
U
- uchi : inner; inside
- uchi komi : turning in and out practice
- ude : arm or forearm
- uke : receiving; in Japanese martial arts, the one who "receives" a technique; also in Japanese martial arts, a block (to "receive" a strike); compare to tori
- ukemi : breakfalling; literally, "receiving with the body"
- ukemi waza : breakfalling techniques
- uki : floating
- ura : reverse side; back; rear
- ushiro : back; behind; rear
- utsuri : shift; switch; transition; change
V
W
- wakare : separation
- waki : armpit
- waza : technique
- wazari : almost ippon (+7)
- wazari awasete ippon : 2nd wazari making ippon (+10)
X
Y
- yama : mountain
- yawara : soft; gentle; pliant; synonymous with second definition of ju
- yoko : side
- yon : four (see numerals)
- yondan : fourth degree; fourth degree black belt (see belt ranks)
- yonkyu : fourth class (see belt ranks)
- yoshi : continue (used after sono-mama)
- yudansha : one who is a black belt
- yuko : scoring point (+5)
- yusei gachi : win by superiority (+1)
Z
- za rei : kneeling bow
- zen : Japanese sect of Buddhism which places heavy emphasis on meditation and which significantly influenced the Japanese martial arts
- zubon : trousers
- zuki : spelling of tsuki when following another word
Numerals
- 1 : ichi
- 2 : ni
- 3 : san
- 4 : yon, shi
- 5 : go
- 6 : roku
- 7 : nana, shichi
- 8 : hachi
- 9 : ku
- 10 : ju
- 11 : ju-ichi
- 12 : ju-ni
- 13 : ju-san
- 14 : ju-yon, ju-shi
- 15 : ju-go
- 16 : ju-roku
- 17 : ju-nana, ju-shichi
- 18 : ju-hachi
- 19 : ju-ku
- 20 : ni-ju
- 21 : ni-ju-ichi
- 30 : san-ju
- 40 : yon-ju, shi-ju
- 50 : go-ju
- 100 : hyaku
Ranks
- (lowest to highest)
kyu
- rokkyu : 6th kyu
- gokyu : 5th kyu
- yonkyu : 4th kyu
- sankyu : 3rd kyu
- nikyu : 2nd kyu
- ikkyu : 1st kyu
dan
- shodan : 1st dan
- nidan : 2nd dan
- sandan : 3rd dan
- yondan : 4th dan
- godan : 5th dan
- rokudan : 6th dan
- shichidan, nanadan : 7th dan
- hachidan : 8th dan
- kudan : 9th dan
- judan : 10th dan
Notes
- In the traditional judo curriculum, katame waza consists of three sub-categories: joint-locking techniques (kansetsu waza), strangling/choking techniques (shime waza), and pinning techniques (osae komi waza). Except for the pinning techniques (which are by definition done on the ground), the other two waza can be done either on the ground or standing. Ne waza (ground techniques), however, refers solely to techniques performed on the ground. Hence, some katame waza (e.g., an armbar from the standing position) are not ne waza and katame waza and ne waza should technically be considered distinct. However, since most katame waza are in fact done from the ground, it has become acceptable to use katame waza and ne waza interchangeably.
- The original kyu/dan belt ranking system created by Jigoro Kano, founder of judo, in the early 20th century only had 6 kyu ranks. Some systems use more.