Aikido Glossary


Common Aikido Words

  • Aikido (eye-key-doe) compound from “ai” (harmony), “ki” (spirit), and “do” (Way): the Way of harmonious spirit.
  • Aikidoka (eye-key-doe-kah) one who practices aikido, an aikidoist.
  • Aiki Taiso (eye-key-tie-so) aikido exercises.
  • Atemi Waza (ah-teh-me wah-zah) striking techniques.
  • Bokken (bow-ken) wooden sword used in practice.
  • Bushido (boo-she-doe) warrior’s code; the way of the warrior.
  • Dan (don) aikido grade holder, black belt rank.
  • Deshi (day-she) student, pupil, disciple.
  • Dojo (doe-joe) training hall; place of the Way. in Buddhism also refers to the place of worship.
  • Doshi (doe-she) comrade, friend (used among fellow aikidoists).
  • Gaeshi (guy-eh-she) to reverse.
  • Gi (ghee) training clothing. (a synonym is keikogi.)
  • Hajime (ha-gee-may) beginning, begin (as a command). said by instructor to begin formal randori.
  • Hakama (hock-kah-ma) a divided, pant-like skirt: a formal Japanese garment also worn by aikido dan-grade holders.
  • Hanmi (hahn-me) a posture in which one foot is advanced one step and the body weight is distributed equally on both feet. triangular stance. literally means “half-body”.
  • Hanmi Handachi (hahn-me hahn-dah-chee) a type of training in which nage is kneeling and uke approaches from a standing position.
  • Hantai (Hahn-tie) in reverse order.
  • Hara (Har-ah) one’s physical and spiritual center. physically, in the lower abdomen a few inches below the navel.
  • Hidari (he-dah-ree) the left side.
  • Hiji (he-gee) elbow.
  • Irimi (ee-ree-me) to enter; entering.
  • Jiyu (gee-you) free, unrestricted.
  • Jiyu Waza (gee-you wah-zah) freestyle techniques/practice.
  • Jo (joe) wooden staff.
  • Kamiza (kah-me-zah) shrine; literally “seat of the spirit(s)”.
  • Kaiten (kai-ten) to revolve or rotate.
  • Kata (kah-tah) 1. shoulder; 2. form, a pre-arranged exercise.
  • Katate (kah-tah-tay) one hand (left or right).
  • Keiko (kay-koh) practice session; training.
  • Keikogi (ghee) training clothing. (a synonym is gi)
  • Ken (ken) Japanese sword.
  • Ki (key) spirit: the vital force of the body; universal energy; a stream or flow of positive energy.
  • Kiai (key-eye) a piercing scream or cry with practical and psychological value; literally “meeting of the spirits”.
  • Kohai (co-high) student junior to oneself; someone with a lower rank or who attained the same rank at a later date. (see sempai)
  • Kokyu (coke-you) breath power; the coordination of ki flow with breathing.
  • Kokyu Dosa (coke-you doe-sah) a method of off-balancing and pinning your partner with ki instead of physical power.
  • Kokyu-Ryoku (coke-you ree-oh-kyoo) breath power.
  • Koshi (ko-she) hips, waist. (also sometimes spelled “goshi”)
  • Kubi (coo-bee) neck.
  • Kyu (cue) the aikido ranks held by undergraduates, prior to attainment of dan ranking.
  • Ma-ai (ma-eye) distance between uke and nage. literally, “harmony of space”.
  • Men (men) face, head.
  • Migi (mih-ghee ) the right side.
  • Mudansha (moo-don-sha) someone who has not yet attained dan ranking: an undergraduate. (see yudansha)
  • Nage (nah-gay) a throw or the person who throws.
  • Obi (oh-bee) belt.
  • O’Sensei (oh-sen-say) Morihei Ueshiba, the founder of aikido; literally, “great teacher”.
  • Randori (ran-door-ri) multiple attack.
  • Rei (ray) salutation, bow.
  • Ryote (ree-oh-tay) both hands.
  • Samurai (sam-oh-rye) military retainer (from the feudal period of Japanese history).
  • Sempai (sem-pie) student senior to oneself; someone with a higher rank or who attained the same rank at an earlier date. (see kohai)
  • Sensei (sen-say) teacher, instructor; generally a title earned at 4th dan.
  • Seiza (say-zah) formal sitting posture in which the insteps and shins rest against the floor.
  • Shiho (she-ho) four directions.
  • Shimi (she-me) choke.
  • Shodan (show-don) holder of the first grade of black belt.
  • Shomen (show-men) 1. the front or top of the head; 2. the front of the dojo, where the kamiza is.
  • Suburi (suh-boor-ee) a single movement using the ken or jo, done as a solo practice.
  • Sutemi (suh-teh-me) a hard fall; literally “casting aside one’s body”.
  • Suwari Waza (sue-wah-ree wah-zah) seated techniques.
  • Tachi (tah-chee) 1. Japanese sword; 2. standing (as opposed to sitting).
  • Tachi Waza (tah-chee wah-zah) standing techniques.
  • Tachi-Dori (tah-chee doh-ree) techniques of taking an opponent’s sword.
  • Taijutsu (tie-jute-sue) body arts; the techniques of aikido performed without weapons.
  • Tai No Henko (tie-no-hen-ko) basic blending practice; literally “changing the body”.
  • Tanto (tahn-toe) dagger.
  • Te (tay) hand.
  • Tegatana (tay-gah-tah-nah) hand blade; sword edge of the hand.
  • Tekubi (tay-koo-be) wrist.
  • Tenchi (ten-chee) compound from “ten” (heaven) and “chi” (earth); a position of the hands: one high and one low.
  • Tsuki (tski) thrust.
  • Uchi (ooh-chee) a strike.
  • Uke (ooh-kay) a person who receives an attack; generally speaking, the person being thrown.
  • Ukemi (ooh-kem-me) the art of receiving the energy of a technique; literally, “receive with the body”.
  • Ushiro (ooh-she-row) back; behind; rear.
  • Waza (wah-zah) technique(s).
  • Yame (ya-may) stop (as a command). said by instructor to end formal randori.
  • Yokomen (yoh-koh-men) side of the head.
  • Yudansha (you-don-sha) black belt grade holder(s). (see mudansha)