Understanding Technique Names
Names of Basic Techniques
Names of Basic Attacks
Counting in Japanese
Names of the 20 Jo Suburi
Glossary of Common Aikido Terms
It should be understood that no one at Aikido of San Diego is tested on Japanese language or expected to perfect the use of Japanese terminology in their training. With that said, it is used often. People seem to pick it up quite easily—simply by being around. The following is not meant to be something memorized. It is simply available for your reference.
Understanding Technique Names
Techniques are named in the following way:
ATTACK + TECHNIQUE + DIRECTION (if it's relavent) = Full Technique Name
For instance: "Shomen-uchi Ikkyo Omote-waza" means...
Frontal strike, 1st pinning technique, to the front side.
Names of Basic Techniques
Gokkyo: 5th pinning technique.
Ikkyo: 1st pinning technique.
Iriminage: Entering throw.
Jujinage: Crossed arm throw.
Kaiten nage: Rotary throw.
Kokyunage: "Breath" throw (used for a wide variety of throwing techniques).
Koshinage: Hip throw.
Kotegaeshi: Wrist turning technique.
Nikkyo: 2nd pinning technique.
Sankyo: 3rd pinning technique.
Shihonage: Four direction throw.
Tenchinage: Heaven and earth throw.
Yonkyo: 4th pinning technique.
top of page
Names of Basic Attacks
Gyakute-dori: Cross-hand grab (right to right, left to left).
Hiji-dori: Elbow grab.
Kata-dori: Shoulder grab.
Kata-menuchi: One shoulder held with a frontal head strike.
Katate-dori: Wrist grab (mirror image).
Morote-dori: Forearm/wrist held with both hands.
Munetsuki: Chest or stomach thrusting strike (punch).
Mune-dori: Lapel grab (at the chest).
Ryokata-dori: Both shoulders held.
Ryote-dori: Attack in which both wrists are held.
Shomen-uchi: Strike to the top of the head.
Ushiro ryokata-dori: Both shoulders grabbed from behind.
Ushiro ryote-dori: Both wrists grabbed from behind.
Yokomen-uchi: Strike to the side of the head.
top of page
Counting in Japanese
Often we count in Japanese in order to both (1) create an atmosphere of synchronization, and (2) to maintain a root to the art's cultural background. It's not difficult to count in Japanese. Just memorize one through ten and the rest will fall in place:
1.....ICHI
2.....NI
3.....SAN
4.....SHI / YON
5.....GO
6.....ROKU
7.....SHICHI
8.....HACHI
9.....KYU
10.....JYU
Ten through nineteen becomes 10+1, etc. Therefore, 11 is jyu-ichi...12 is jyu-ni, etc...
Twenty through twenty-nine becomes 2x10+...Therefore, 20 is ni-jyu...21 is ni-jyu-ichi, 22 is ni-jyu-ni, etc...
top of page
Names of the 20 Jo Suburi
1. Choku tsuki
2. Kaeshi tsuki
3. Ushiro tsuki
4. Tsuki gedan gaeshi
5. Tsuki jodan gaeshi uchi
6. Shomen uchi komi
7. Renzoku uchi komi
8. Menuchi gedan gaeshi
9. Menuchi ushiro tsuki
10. Gyaku yokomen ushiro tsuki
11. Katate gedan gaeshi
12. Katate toma uchi
13. Katate hachi noji gaeshi
14. Hasso gaeshi uchi
15. Hasso gaeshi tsuki
16. Hasso gaeshi ushiro tsuki
17. Hasso gaeshi ushiro uchi
18. Hasso gaeshi ushiro barai
19. Hidari nagare gaeshi uchi
20. Migi nagare gaeshi tsuki
top of page
Glossary of Common Aikido Terms
Ai-hanmi: Mutual stance. Partners stand facing one another with the same foot forward.
Atemi: A strike or striking technique.
Bokken: Wooden sword.
Budo: Warrior way. The group of disciplines that teach martial technique and spiritual development.
Dan: Blackbelt rank.
Deshi: Student, pupil, disciple.
Dojo: Training hall
Gi: Training uniform.
Gyaku-hanmi: Opposite stance. Partners stand with opposite feet forward.
Hakama: A divided, pant-like skirt. It's worn by those of Dan rank.
Hanmi: Triangular stance.
Hanmi Handachi: Nage (thrower) is kneeling and uke (attacker) approaches from a standing position.
Hara: Lower abdomen. Physical and spiritual center.
Irimi: To enter.
Jiyuwaza: Free style practice.
Jo: Wooden staff
Kaeten: To revolve or rotate.
Kamae: Stance.
Kata: Shoulder
top of page
Kata: Form (different character from "Kata" meaning shoulder).
Keiko: Practice or training session.
Ken: Japanese sword.
Kiai: A piercing scream.
Kihon: Basic form of a technique, usually static.
Ki-no-nagare: Fluid form of a technique.
Kohai: Junior student.
Kumijo: Partner practices with jo.
Kumitachi: Partner practices with swords.
Nage: To throw. The person who throws.
Randori: Multiple person freestyle practice.
Rei: Bow.
top of page
Sempai: Senior student.
Seiza: Formal sitting posture.
Shomen: Front. Head of the dojo where a picture of the founder is kept.
Suburi: A basic ken or jo strike.
Suwariwaza: Sitting techniques.
Tachi-dori: Sword take-aways.
Tai-jutsu: Body arts. Techniques done without weapons.
Tanto: Knife.
Tsuki: Thrust, punch.
Uchi: To strike.
Uke: To receive. The person who attacks, receives a technique, and falls.
Ukemi: The art of falling and receiving.
Ushiro: Back, behind, rear.
Waza: Technique.
Yokomen: Side of the head.
Yudansha: Person holding a Dan rank.
top of page
|
