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              Unusual Martial Terms

  {This page is under construction}

 With the ability today to purchase a martial arts dictionary at most any good bookstore, I do not feel the need at attempting to list every martial term. However, in this section I have listed several terms that may not be seen very often in print. Many of these terms are very old and were given to me by Senior Okinawan, Japanese and Western Sensei. Some of these terms have been replace by more modern terms and some have simply fallen out of use, therefore I thought I would share some of the unusual terms I have come across. Keep in mind that several of these terms may predate modern karate.

For anyone looking for a good martial arts dictionary, I would highly recommend the Tuttle Dictionary of the Martial Arts of Korea, China & Japan. This book can be found in Barnes & Noble bookstores or ordered on line from www.amazon.com.

"Please understand that without the kanji being shown, any particular word may have several meaning.  Also, what may constitute an "unusual" term to one person, may be a common term to another and as with the rest of this website, any errors contained within are mine and mine alone. 

Note: This page like most of the others in this website will be constantly under construction, please check back from time to time!"

A.

Age: Rising

Agura: Informal sitting position (legs crossed while sitting on floor.)

Ai:

Ai hanmi:

Aiki:

Ai nuke: Mutual preservation, the opposite of Ai uchi.

Ai uchi:  Mutual killing, the opposite of Ai nuke.

Ashi: Term generally used for the foot, but can also refer to the leg.

Ashi Sabaki: Foot or leg movement.

Ausuka-waza: Term used to describe the jumping and spinning technique used in the Chito-ryu kata Chinto and Kusanku.

B.

Batto:

Bubishi:

Budo:  Bu=To Stop   do=Way or Method    The method or way of stopping conflict.

Busen: Martial arts professional school.

Bushi: Warrior

Bushido: The Way of the samurai (bushi), warrior.

Butokuden: Hall of martial virtues. Location where martial virtues are taught and practiced.

Butoku-Sai: Martial Arts Festival

 

C.

Chikara: An Okinawan term meaning strength or power.

Chinkuchi or Chinkuchi kakin: An Okinawan term meaning to use all of one's power and spirit when executing a technique and to apply these at the moment of kime.

Chuden: Second level of techniques taught in classical martial arts.

D.

Dachi/Tachi: Stances or postures used throughout martial arts systems

Dai-Nippon-Butoku-Kai: Greater Japan Martial Virtues Society.

Dontai Renshu: Group training.

Dojo: Location or school where one learns the martial ways.

E.

Embu: Performance

Empi-waza: Technique executed with the elbow.

F.

Fin-di: An Okinawan term meaning change of hand.

Fudo-dachi: Immoveable stance.

Fudo-shin: Immovable mind.

Fudo-Tai: Immoveable body.

G.

Genkan:  Front entrance to dojo.

Genshi: Intuition - The ability to know an attack is coming before it is physically initiated.

Go-Rin-no-Sho: Book of Five Rings written in     by Musayashi.

H.

Hanmi: Half facing

Hatsugeiko: First training session of the year.

Heiho: Martial strategy.

Henka: Change or Variation.

Hente: Term used to describe method used when one defends and counter attacks with the same arm.

Hidden (also may be seen as Hiden): Secret traditions. Specialized Instruction, usually oral in nature and generally, given to only one student who has been chosen to eventually carry on the tradition of the style.

Hikiashi: Pulling foot or leg

Hikite: Pulling hand

Hittakuru: To Grab.

I.

Ibuki: A forceful type of breathing in which the breath is exhaled with both mental and physical concentration being placed in the lower abdominal region of the body. This type of breathing is normally applied while executing the Chito-ryu kata Sanchin and Niseishi.

Irimi: To enter a attack.

J.

Jissen: Real conflict with a confrontation against another person with no set rules. A real street fight.

Jo-jutsu: The study of the jo or short staff ranging from 36 to 48 inches long.

K.

Kan-geiko: Winter training session. In Japan kangeiko normally takes place during the month of January (the coldest time of year) with students meeting at the dojo at 6:00am and training for at least one hour. These classes will normally take place everyday during the complete month of January.

Kakushi: Concealed.

Kami-tori: Seizing the opponent by the hair.

Kappo-waza: A general term used to describe the many resuscitation techniques used in the old martial arts schools.

Karami: A twisting action applied when immobilizing an attacker.

Kataki: One's enemy.

Kata Mawashi: Shoulder turning used prior to applying a control technique. This movement is seen in the first and second movements of Chito-ryu's Patsai kata.

Katsu:

Ki:  Spirit, energy, life force, mind

Kiai: Spirit-unifying shout

Kime: Maximum Focus of power.

Keiko: Practice

Kodo: Old or ancient ways or methods.

Kodokan: A school in which one learn and practices the old ways.

Korishi-no-Me: An Okinawan term which means a "Killing Stare." This killing stare can be seen in the eyes of many of the old martial arts Sensei when looking at especially older pictures. Old text have made mention of many older Sensei who were able to stop an attacker in his tracks with a single gaze into his eyes. 

Kuden: Oral Transmission.

Kuzushi: To break the bodies alignment (balance).                 

Kyokushin-kai:

Kyudo:

L.

M.

Miai:   Distancing.
 

Mu-dan: Beyond rank.

Mu-gamae: No Posture

Mushin: Instantaneous response through no heart or mind

Musubi:  Harmony
 

N.

Nagashi: To avoid or sidestep and attack (no block).

Nana-dan: 7th degree black belt. Used by many Japanese & Okinawan martial arts instead of Shichi-dan since Shichi is also a homonym for "death".

Naname-ken: Diagonal or oblique angle punch (a type of punch used in Okinawan Seibukan Karate)

O.

Okuden: Secret Teaching or Deep Tradition.

Otoshi: Downward, to sweep or drop.

O-waza: Large or big technique.

O-yama: Big mountain.

Oyo-waza: Applied technique

P.

Q.

R.

Renshu: Traning.

S.

Sei-ken: Horizonal punch (a type of punch seen in most traditional styles if karate)

Seite: Term used to describe the action taking place when one arm defends while the other arm counter attacks.

Shochu-geiko: Summer training session normally taking place in August, the hottest month of the year.

Shoden: First level of techniques taught in classical martial arts.

So-jutsu: The study of the spear.

Sotai Renshu: Training with a partner.

Souide: An Okinawan term used to describe a power enhancing method used throughout        Okinawan traditional karate kata.

Sumi-kiri: Visual Slow Down. A phenomenon which takes place generally after many years of intense training. Sumi-kiri can cause movements to appear to be delivered in slow motion making it relatively easy to apply a blocking technique or a counter move.

T.

Taitaikyo:   Dojo etiquette

Tai Sabaki: To evade through the use of body movement.

Tate-ken: Vertical punch (a type of punch used in Okinawan Isshin-ryu karate)

Tenkan: To turn and dissipate an attack.

Tori:  To Give, one to executes a technique, the attacker.

Tsuki:   Thrust

U.

Uke:    Although this term is generally used for a block, it's true meaning is to receive.
 

V.

W.

Waka Sensei: Young teacher.

Washin-ryu:

X.

Y.

Yabusame: Archery on horseback.

Yosekian:

Yubi-waza: Finger techniques.

Yuwaki: Poor Character or lack of inner strength.

Z.

Zanshin: Total awareness, reflecting heart or mind.                                                                                                     
 

Zu-waza: A technique executed with the head.