Glossary of Terms

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Term	Definition
Ai	Harmony, love,
ai nuke	mutual preservation
ai uchi	mutual striking (destruction)
ai-hanmi	when uke and nage face each other with the same foot forward
aiki bujitsu	original name for Aikido
Aiki O-Kami	the Great Spirit (inner essence) of Aikido
aiki taiso	warm-up exercises
aiki-jo	practising Aikido by extending ki through a jo
aiki-ken	practising Aikido by ki extension through a sword
Aikido	The Way of Harmony with Universal creative energy
Aikidoka	An Aikido practitioner
Amaterasu Omi Kami	enlightening spiritual essence of the sun, sun goddess, universal spirit
Arigato gosai mashita	Thank you for what you've done (traditional statement of gratitude to teacher after class)
ashi	leg or foot
atemi	strike to a vital point
atemi waza	striking techniques
bo-ken (bokken)	wooden sword
budo	the Way of martial art
bushido	the Way of the warrior
chu	loyalty
chudan	weapons held at middle level
deshi	student
Do	Chinese 'Tao,' The way
dogi	training uniform (also called a gi)
dojo	the place of the Way (the training hall)
dori (tori)	hold
Doshu	the leader of the Way (the head of Aikido)
eri tori	uke grasps nage's collar
fudo shin	steadfast spirit
funakogi	rowing exercise
furi tama	'Shaking down the spirit' , a ki-focussing exercise
gake	attack
gedan	lower level
gi	training uniform
giri	sword cut
go nin gake	five people attack
gokyo	Fifth tewaza
goshi (koshi)	hip
gyaku te tori	cross hand grab. i.e., right hand attacks right hand
gyaku-hanmi	when uke and nage, facing each other have the opposite foot forward in hanmi
hai (pronounced 'hi')	yes
hajime	begin
hanmi	triangular stance
hanmi hantachi	nage kneels while uke stands
hara	belly, the body's centre, the one-point (the tan tien of Chinese Taoism)
hayakama (hakama)	cullotte type over-pants worn by Japanese martial artists in the sword schools
hidari	left
hiji tori	grasping elbow attack
hiza`	knee
hyaci undo	back stretching exercise
Ik-kyo	first tewaza
irimi	entering into or penetrating opponent's space
irimi nage	a throw whose main element is irimi
irimi-tenkan	the enter and turn tai-sabaki used in many techniques, especially against weapons
jin	benevolence
jiu waza	'gentle techniques' techniques without striking
jiyu jizai	absolute freedom resulting from awareness of one's own nature as the essence of the universe itself
Jiyugi nage	crossed arm (arm entanglement) throw
jo	staff
jo nage waza	techniques for throwing with the jo
jo tori	jo taking (disarming) techniques
jo waza	staff techniques
jodan	upper level
jodo	the way of the Jo, staff fighting
kaeshi waza	reversal techniques, Aikido counters to Aikido counters
kaiten	'kai' is to open and let the attacking force through, 'ten' is to turn things around in your favour
kaiten nage	wheel-like or circular throw
kamae	weapon-holding stance
kami	inner essence or 'spirit' of a thing which, on being truly perceived
kami waza	divine technique through inspired use of universal principle and spiritual power
kamiwaza	divine technique motivated by the universal principal and spiritual power
kamiza	where the kami resides, traditionally the front of the dojo
kanji	Chinese characters, ideographs
kata	set forms
kata	shoulder
kata te	hand
kata te tori	one hand grasping opponent's hand
kata tori	uke grasp's nage's shoulder with one hand
kata tori shomen uchi	uke grasps nage's shoulder and strikes at head
keiko (geiko)	practice
ken	sword: The Aikido sword is an instrument for protection and spiritual development
ken jitsu	sword techniques
ken tori	sword 'taking' or disarming techniques
kendo	the Way of the Sword, Japanese fencing
kensho	a student' first experience of enlightenment
kesa giri	diagonal sword cut from shoulder to hip
Ki	bio-energy, life-force, Universal creative energy
ki-musubi	tying together with ki
ki-no-nagare	movement which flows powerfully and seamlessly from one technique to another
kiai	shout which occurs when extending ki in actions such as kokyu-nage and atemi
kiatsu	ki resuscitation technique
kihon	basic form of techniques
kiri (giri)	cut
koan	Zen paradox designed to lead to comprehension beyond conceptual thought
kohai	junior student
kokoro	heart
kokyu	breath-spirit power - pervasive cosmic force incorporating yin-yang principle
kokyu ho suwari waza	kneeling ki extension exercise
kokyu nage	breath spirit throw
kokyu ryoku	the power of kokyu
kokyu undo	breath-movement exercises for focussing ki
koshi (goshi)	hip
kote	wrist
kote gaeshi	wrist bending technique
kote giri	wrist cut
kototama	the esoteric science of sacred sounds and speech which focusses energy
kubi	neck
kuden	inner secrets imparted only through direct transmission by master to student
kyu	grade below black belt
ma-ai	harmony of space (proper space for safety)
mae giri	front kick
makoto	true mind; complete sincerity and honesty
mandala	sacred diagram, cosmic map
men	head
michi	divine knowledge
migi	right
misogi	purification. Aikido is a method of cleansing one's self of maliciousness, and removing spiritual barriers to progress
moro te tori	uke grasps nage's hand with both hands
mu	emptiness, the void
mujushin	the mind of no abode or stopping place
mune	chest
mune tsuki	straight punch or thrust to chest or solar plexus
mushin	empty mind - state of extreme awareness of the here-now without verbal thought processes
musubi	harmonious connection, unity, oneness with Nature
nagare	unbroken flow of energy and movement
nage	a throw, or one who throws
ni-kyo	second tewaza
nodo	throat
O'Sensei	Great Teacher
obi	belt
okugi	highest and secret teaching
omote	front or forwards
onegai shimasu	thank you for what you are about to do or teach
osae	a pin or 'lock', an immobilisation hold
osae waza	locking or pinning techniques
oyo waza	practical combat applications of Aikido techniques
randori	unrehearsed multiple attack practice
rei	bow
reigi	etiquette
ryo	both
ryo kata tori	uke grasps both shoulders from front
ryo te tori	uke grasps grasps nage's two hands
samurai	upper or military class in Feudal Japan, a Japanese knight or gentleman
san nin gake	three people attack
san-kyo	third tewaza
satori	enlightenment
seiza	traditional method of sitting on folded knees; formal kneeling posture
sempai	senior student
sensei	teacher
shiai	contest
shihan	master teacher
shiho giri	cutting in four directions
shiho nage	four directions throw, named after shiho giri
shikko	knee walking
shikoku	blind angle
shime	choke
shin	heart, mind, spirit, centre, core, God
shin ken	live blade
shinken shobu	fight to the finish, throwing oneself single-mindedly into one's training
shinshin toitsu	body-mind coordination
Shinto	a way of life which seeks to comprehend the inner essence or true nature of things, called 'kami'
sho men tsuki	straight thrust to the head
sho men uchi	downwards blow to the head
shoshin	beginners's mind, an open, unprejudiced attitude (necessary to retain in advanced training)
soto	outer
suburi	repetitions of a weapons movement to perfect technique
suki	opening, weak point
sumi otoshi	corner drop
sumo	traditional Japanese wrestling associated with Shinto mythology for spiritual development
suwari waza	techniques done on knees
tachi	sword
tachi tori	sword taking techniques
tai jitsu	unarmed or 'body techniques'
tai no-henko	pivoting of the body, usually called tenkan
tai sabaki	body movement (the 'footwork' of Aikido)
takemusu	the life-generating, creative force of Aiki
takemusu aiki	'Courageous and creative living'
tanden (hara)	the centre of the body, the one-point where one's life-forces should be focussed
tanto	knife
Tao (Chinese)	Way, path, discipline, way of life (Japanese 'Do')
tatami	mats
te katana	hand sword
te waza	hand techniques
tenchi nage	heaven and earth throw
tenkan	pivoting rearards on the front foot
tewaza	hand technique
tori	the one who takes (alternative name for nage)
Tori (dori)	to grasp
tsuki	straight thrusting blow
uchi	inner
uchi deshi	inner student or apprentice teacher
ude	arm
Ueshiba Morehei	The Founder of Aikido, O'Sensei Ҕhe Great TeacherӀ0x54 0x68 0x65
uke	attacker, the one who ҲeceivesӠthe technique which counters the attack
ukemi	techniques for falling safely
undo	exercise
ura	backwards or rearward
ushiro	behind
ushiro ryo hija tori	uke grasps nage's two elbows from behind
ushiro waza	techniques against attacks from rear
ushiro kubi shime	strangle from rear
ushiro ryo kata tori	uke grasps both nage's shoulder's from behind
ushiro ryo te tori	uke grasps nage's two hands from behind
ushiro tori	bear hug from behind
waza	techniques
yang	positive pole, centrifugal force, maleness, upper level, forward side etc
yin	negative pole, centripedal force, femaleness, lower level, rear side etc
yin-yang	the two interacting and mutually dependent opposites of all things
yoko	side
yoko men uchi	strike to side of head
yon-kyo	fourth tewaza
yudansha	dan grade student
za-zen	literally 'seated Zen' - practising the Zen state while seated
zanshin	calmly aware perceptiveness or unbroken concentration
Zen	A mental or 'inner' state of calm, settled perceptiveness and comprehension

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