Aikido Glossary

A

• Aihanmi (eye-hahn-mhee): same-side stance
• Aikido (eye-khee-doh): art founded by Morihei Ueshiba (O-Sensei), the way of Aiki
• Aikidoka (eye-khee-doh-kah): Aikido practitioner
• Aikiotoshi (eye-khee-oh-toh-shee): Aiki drop
• Aiuchi (eye-oo-chee): mutual destruction
• Atemi (ah-tey-mhee): a strike to an opening

B

• Bokken (boh-keyn): wooden practice sword
• Budo (boo-doh): martial way
• Budoka (boo-doh-kah): martial arts practitioner
• Bushi (boo-shee): warrior
• Bushido (boo-shee-doh): the way of the warrior

C

• Chi (chee): earth

D

• Dan (dahn): degree (black belt rank)
• Deshi (dey-shee): a student, a disciple
• Do (doh): way, path
• Dogi (doh-gee): practice uniform
• Dojo (doh-joh): place where one studies a "do" or way
• Domo Arigato Gozaimashita (doh-moh ah-ree-gah-toh goh-zeye-mahsh-tah): thank you very much
• Doshu (doh-shoo): the person who shows the way; current leader of Aikikai Aikido

G

• Gokyo (goh-khee-oh): fifth teaching, fifth movement
• Gyakuhanmi (ghee-ah-khoo-hahn-mhee): opposite-side stance

H

• Hakama (hah-kah-mah): traditional pleated pants worn by the samurai and by budoka
• Hanmi (hahn-mhee): the basic triangular stance of Aikido (Aihanmi is "same stance"; Gyakuhanmi is "opposite stance")
• Hanmihandachi (hahn-mhee-hahn-dah-chee): technique is which nage is seated and uke is standing
• Hara (hah-rhah): one's center, found two fingers width below the navel 
• Henkawaza (heyn-kah-wah-zah): changing from one technique to another
• Hiji (hee-jhee): elbow
• Hijiate (hee-jhee-ah-tey): applying pressure against the elbow
• Hijitori (hee-jhee-toh-rhee): elbow grab
• Hombu Dojo (hohm-boo doh-joh): the international headquarters of Aikido located in Tokyo, Japan

I

• Ichi (ee-chee): one or first
• Ikkyo (ee-khee-oh): the first teaching, the first movement
• Irimi (ee-rhee-mhee): the act of entering directly into the attack, entering with the body
• Iriminage (ee-rhee-mhee-nah-ghey): a throw whose main component is the irimi entrance

J

• Jiyuwaza (jhee-oo-wah-zah): free-style practice
• Jo (joh): short wooden staff usually 50-54 inches in length

K

• Kaeshiwaza (khuy-shee-wah-zah): reversal technique
• Kaiten (kye-teyn): pivot requiring turning of the hips
• Kaitenage (kye-teyn-nah-ghey): revolving throw
• Kami (kah-mhee): God(s) or Spirit(s)
• Kamiza (kah-mhee-zah): Altar
• Katatori (kah-tah-toh-rhee): shoulder grab
• Katatetori (kah-tah-tey-toh-rhee): one-hand grab
• Keiko (khey-koh): practice
• Ken (kheyn): sword
• Kenjutsu (kheyn-joot-soo): sword techniques
• Kesagiri (khey-sah-ghee-rhee): diagonal cut across the body
• Ki (khee): life energy
• Kokyu (koh-khee-oo): breath or breathing
• Kokyuho / Kokyudosa (koh-khee-oo-hoh / koh-khee-oo-doh-sah): an exercise in blending your energy with that of your partner
• Kokyunage (koh-khee-oo-nah-ghey): Breath throw
• Kosatori (koh-sah-toh-rhee): cross-hand grab
• Koshinage (koh-shee-nah-ghey): hip throw
• Kotegaeshi (koh-tey-ghuy-shee): wrist twist
• Kubishime (koo-bee-shee-mhey): choke hold
• Kumitachi (koo-mhee-tah-chee): paired sword practice
• Kyu (khee-oo): grades preceeding yudansha rank

M

• Maai (mah-eye): distance, separation
• Mae (mhuy): front
• Misogi (mhee-soh-ghee): spiritual cleansing
• Morotetori (moh-rhoh-tey-toh-rhee): grabbing one hand with two hands
• Munetsuki (moo-ney-tskee): a strike or thrust to the upper body
• Musubi (moo-soo-bhee): connect

N

• Nage (nah-ghey): a throw, one who throws (opposite of uke)
• Nikyo (nhee-khee-oh): second teaching, second movement

O

• Omote (oh-moh-tey): to the front
• Onegaishimasu (oh-nhey-gye-shee-mahs): please (used when bowing to partner before practise)
• O-Sensei (oh-sen-sey): great teacher
• Otoshi (oh-toh-shee): a drop, a throw

R

• Randori (rahn-doh-rhee): multiple-attack practice
• Ryokatatori (rhee-oh-kah-tah-toh-rhee): two-shoulder grab
• Ryotetori (rhee-oh-tey-toh-rhee): two-hand grab (two hands grabbing two hands)
• Ryu (rhee-oo): a school or a style

S

• Sankyo (sahn-khee-oh): third teaching, third movement
• Seiza (sey-zah): traditional Japanese seated position
• Sensei (sen-sey): a teacher, one who gives guidance
• Shidoin (shee-doh-een): senior instructor
• Shihan (shee-hahn): teacher who presides over region
• Shihonage (shee-hoh-nah-ghey): four-direction throw
• Shikko (shee-koh): walking on one's knees
• Shomen (shoh-meyn): the head, the front
• Shomenuchi (shoh-meyn-oo-chee): strike to the front of the head
• Soto (soh-toh): outside; opposite of uchi
• Suburi (soo-boo-rhee): repititious motion performed to perfect movement
• Sumiotoshi (soo-mhee-oh-toh-shee): corner drop
• Suwariwaza (soo-wah-rhee-wah-zah): seated technique

T

• Tachi (tah-chee): sword
• Tachiwaza (tah-chee-wah-zah): standing technique
• Taisabaki (tye-sah-bah-khee): evasive body movement
• Tegatana (tey-gah-tah-nah): hand blade
• Ten (teyn): heaven
• Tenchinage (teyn-chee-nah-ghey): heaven-and-earth throw
• Tatami (tah-tah-mhee): traditional Japanese straw mats
• Tenkan (teyn-kahn): 180 degree pivot on the front foot
• Tori (toh-rhee): a grab, a hold
• Tsuki (tskee): thrust or punch

U

• Uchi (oo-chee): inside; opposite of soto
• Uchideshi (oo-chee-dey-shee): live-in student or disciple
• Udegarami (oo-dey-gah-rhah-mhee): arm entwinement technique
• Udekimenage (oo-dey-khee-mey-nah-ghey): a throw applying pressure against the elbow
• Ueshiba Morihei (Oo-eh-she-bah Moh-rhee-hey): founder of Aikido, referred to as O-Sensei
• Ueshiba Kisshomaru (Oo-eh-shee-bah Khee-shoh-mah-rhoo): 2nd Doshu, O-Sensei's son
• Ueshiba Moriteru (Oo-eh-shee-bah Moh-rhee-tey-rhoo): 3rd Doshu, O-Sensei's grandson
• Uke (oo-khey): one who receives the force, the person who is thrown (opposite of nage)
• Ukemi (oo-khey-mhee): the art of falling
• Ura (oo-rha): back, to the rear
• Ushiro (oo-shee-rhoh): behind
• Ushirotekubitori (oo-shee-rhoh-tey-khoo-bhee-toh-rhee): wrist grab from behind
• Ushirowaza (oo-shee-rhoh-wah-zah): techniques in which one is attacked from behind

W

• Waza (wah-zah): techniques

Y

• Yokomen (yoh-koh-meyn): to the side
• Yokomenuchi (yoh-koh-meyn-oo-chee): strike or cut to the side of the head
• Yonkyo (yohn-khee-oh): fourth teaching, fourth movement
• Yudansha (yhoo-dahn-shah): those who have achieved black-belt level