GLOSSARY
A
Abunai: Watch out! Lit. means “dangerous”
Acupuncture: A Chinese system of medicine and healing using needles on certain key points of the body.
Age: rising
Age tsuki: rising block; deflection of attacks to the head and face.
Agility: the ability to rapidly change the axis and speed of attack or defense.
Ai: love, harmony, unification; the way in which the opponent’s force is combined with and thus nullified.
Aikido: The Way of Harmony with universal energy. Martial art developed in Japan since 1931 by Master Morihei Ueshiba. Foundation of the first dojo, the Kobukai. Aikido techniques are divided into two categories: nagewaza (throwing techniques) and katamewaza (controlling techniques). Aikikai, the Aikido association, was formed on February 9, 1948.
Aikijutsu: “Art of Spirit/Harmony.” A combat technique, forerunner of aikido and a school of jiu-jitsu.
Ai uchi: “mutual striking”: each opponent delivering a simultaneous blow.
Arigato: thanks
Armlock: method of applying leverage to the joints of an opponent’s arm to cause pain and immobilization.
Arnis de mano: Lit. “harness of the hand”; Philipino twin stick, knife and hand-to-hand fighting.
Asagari: morning mist; kyusho at the insertion of the tongue at the bottom of the chin.
Ashi: foot / leg
Ashi barai: foot sweep; unbalancing an opponent by striking or hooking his leg.
Ashi bumi: first position in kyudo, or position of the feet and body in relation to the target.
Ashi garami: leg entanglement; trapping an opponent’s leg by one’s own and applying leverage to it.
Ashi gatame: leg lock; locking the opponent’s arm using leverage applied by one’s foot.
Ashi guruma: leg wheel; throw in which the opponent is thrown over an extended leg.
Ashi hishigi; leg crush
Ashi kubi: ankle
Ashi kubi hishigi: ankle crush
Ashi waza: foot techniques; techniques which use the leg or foot.
Atama: head or head butt
Atarimae da mochiron: of course
Ate: strike; blow delivered by a hand which is not closed into a fist
Atemi: striking the vital areas of the body; used much in jiu-jitsu but illegal in judo contests
Atemi waza: striking techniques; blows and kicks
Attrition: the process by which assets are destroyed and energy reserves are consumed.
Attrition warfare: This is war according to the Marquis de Queensburg wherein strength meets strength and force meets force. Surprise, deception and feint are rejected in favor of strength and quantity of strikes. The enemy will be defeated when he ceases to exist as a force on the battlefield. Much energy is expended to bring the enemy to a decisive battle, so he may be destroyed. Attrition warfare ignores the psychology of the fighters involved, and focuses instead on tangible and quantifiable phenomena, such as strike effects and damage accumulation.
Attention stance: formal stance adopted by martial arts students before beginning training.
Atoshi baraku: a little more time left; indication of 30 seconds to go in a competitive bout.
Augment: strengthening a technique by harnessing a body action to it.
Awasette: combining together; adding two half points in competition to produce on full point
Axe kick: swinging one’s foot high into the air and then dropping the heel, usually on the opponent’s head or collar bones.
B
Back fist: punch using the back of the knuckles to attack the side of the head or body
Back kick: Thrusting kick performed with the back turned towards the target. The heel strikes the target.
Baka: idiot, stupid, fool
Bakemono: monster
Balisong: correct term for the Philipino butterfly knife.
Ball of foot: pad of flesh on the bottom of the foot which is exposed when the toes are drawn back.
Bandesh: Indian empty-hand fighting technique
Bando: Burmese martial art featuring boxing methods based on animal movements.
Banshay: Burmese form of weapon arts using staff, sword and spear
Basho: one of the six major 15 day annual sumo tournaments
Basics: elementary techniques of a martial are, on which all else is built
Bassai: to penetrate a fortress; shorin ryu karate kata
Batto jutsu: art of cutting with a sword; techniques of drawing a sword and immediately using it to cut down the opponent. Compare with iai-jutsu.
BDA: Battle Damage Assessment; the process by which the actual damage done to the target is evaluated after an attack, and by which the necessity for further attacks is determined.
Belt: strip of colored fabric worn around the waist, the color denoting the wearer’s degree of attainment
Bersilat: Malaysian martial art derived from Indonesian pentjak-silat. Also found in Jama and Sumatra.
Biot: ancient form of weaponless fighting found in India and reputed to be 3,000 years old
Black Belt: represents the first significant rank in martial arts training. In Hagakure jiu-jitsu, though teaching at a lower rank is possible, teaching is a requirement for a person in possession of a black belt.
Blitzkrieg: “lightning war” from the German offensives of WWII, particularly the fall of France, 1940. Attacking so hard, fast and unexpectedly that proper defense is impossible. The “wrath of God” attack is an example of blitzkrieg.
Block: using the body, arm or leg to interrupt or divert an attack
Bo: staff measuring from 5ft. to 6ft. (1.6m – 2m) depending on the ryu. The bo is extremely effective. The preferred weapon of the ancient warrior monks, some bo were made of iron and had a hexagonal section.
Bodhidharma: The first Chan patriarch in China (460-534) and 28th patriarch after Buddha. He came to southern China from India in the 6th century and later settled in the Shao Lin (Shorin) temple where he trained monks in a type of unarmed combat in order to toughen their bodies and minds.
Bogu: armor
Bogu kumite: sparring in armor; form of armored sparring which allows full power strikes and kicks.
Bojutsu: techniques of the staff. Bojutsu is studied in the dojo as a complement to the unarmed techniques. This technique involves sliding the pole through the hands like a billiard cue.
Bok hok pai: a Chinese system of kung fu based on the mannerisms of the white crane.
Bokken: a solid wooden sword used for training purposes in kendo. In trained hands a bokken can be fatal.
Bok mei pai: very fast “white eyebrow” style of kung fu, named after its founder who is said to have been banned from the Shaolin temple because he killed one of his fellow students in a fight.
Bot jum do: short, heavy Chinese knife used in pairs. Popularly referred to as “butterfly knives”.
Boxer Rebellion: a war against Western influence in China in 1900; was so named because many of those involved were trained in “Chinese Boxing” i.e. kung fu.
Breakfall: a way of landing safely after falling.
Breaking: method of impact power testing with the body’s natural weapons, using wood, tiles, stones and bricks.
Bu: martial or military
Buddhism: eastern religion that spread from India to China
Budo: Japanese martial arts. Budo (bu = warrior and do = way) means the Warrior’s Way. Budo differs from bujutsu (jutsu = technique) in that Budo is more a philosophical or religious methodology while bujutsu is strictly military or defensive techniques. Bu also means reconciliation, harmony and avoiding the spear. Thus Budo could be translated the Harmonious Way.
Budoka: a person who practices martial arts in general.
Bujutsu: fighting arts of the Japanese warrior class.
Bunkai: application of form; analysis; method for studying the application of technique
Bushi: lit. a martial man; indicating warrior who follows the ethical code of Bushido. The virtues of the bushi are:
Doryo: magnanimity
Shiki: resolution
Onsha: generosity and tolerance
Fudo: posture and attitude, immutability
Giri: concern with duty
Ninyo: magnanimity (on a differing level from doryo)
Bushido: “The Way of the Warrior” – code of honor of the Japanese warrior. The word, popularized by Inazo Nitobe in his work Bushido, the Soul of Japan, published at the beginning of the 20th century, defines the code of honor of the ancestors. A spiritual law which Japanese nationalists in particular have constantly praised. Integrity, justice, courage, contempt of death, goodwill, politeness, sincerity, honor, loyalty and self-control are the principle rules of bushido.
Butsumetsu: “the day Buddha died”; kyusho at the ribs under the pectoralis major and the insertion of the scapula.
Butterfly knife: short, heavy Chinese knife used in pairs. The proper name is bot jum do.
Cedan geri: forward heel snap
Chui: serious infringement (5 point penalty)
De ashi barai: lead foot lateral sweep
Empi (or igi): elbow strike
Fusen gachi: victory default
Hajime: begin / start
Hansoku make: disqualification
Hantei: call for decision by the judges
Hara gatame: choking arm bar
Harai goshi: hip throw with leg sweep
High mae geri: front snap kick (e.g. to chin)
Hiki wake: draw; drawn contest
Hiza gatame: kansetsuwaza with pressure applied by one’s forearm or knees
Hiza guruma: plant foot on back of knee and push/pull arm and shoulder
Ippon: full points (10 point score)
Ippon seoi nage: shoulder roll
Kagato geri: heel stomp
Kami basami – scissor throw
Kansetsuwaza: any number of elbow locks
Kiken gachi: victory by opponent injury
Keikoku: grave infringement (7 point penalty)
Ko soto gari: lead leg pull by heel
Ko uchi gari: inside inside leg hook
Koka: slight advantage (3 point score)
Koshi guruma: hip throw by neck
Kotegaeshi: wrist flex
Mae geri keage: front snap kick
Mae geri keikomi: front snap stomp
Mae hiza: knee kick
Maki komi: one arm hip throw
Matte: stop
Mawashi geri: round house kick
Mikazuki geri: slap kick
Morote gari: two leg take down (also referred to as “shooting”)
Naname tsuki: hook
Non combativity: issued as a reason for the warnings: shido, chi, keikoku and hansoku make
O goshi: hip throw
O soto gari: outside major leg sweep
O uchi gari: inside outside leg hook
Osae komi: begin of hold down
Rei: bow
Sasae tsuri komi ashi: momentum outside leg trip
Shido: slight infringement (3 point penalty)
Shito: spear hand
Shuto: strike with either the inner or outer ridge of the hand
Sode tsuri komi goshi: hip throw holding arms
Sogo gachi: victory by combination
Sono mama: do not move; freeze
Sore made: all over
Sukui nage: step behind “bale throw”
Tai otoshi: spinning momentum leg trip
Teicho: palm strike
Toketa: hold down broken
Tomoe nage: “Kirk Special”; grabbing the opponent by the lapels and rolling back while planting the foot in the opponent’s stomach
Tori: defender; the person on the giving end of the defensive technique
Tsuki age: uppercut
Tsukkake close: hook to body
Tsukkake far: boxing straight or jab
Uchi mata: hip throw with foot pushing back on opponent’s knee
Uchi oroshi: hammer fist
Ude garami: folding arm bar
Ude gatame: “the Dog Walk”; kansetsuwaza with pressure pushing forward causing the opponent to crawl on knees and one hand
Uke: aggressor; the person on the receiving end of the defensive technique
Uke waza: blocks (facing, inside, outside, cross, sweep)
Uki goshi: half-hip throw
Ura ichi: back fist
Ura mawashi: back kick (heel kick)
Ushiro geri keage: near rear groin kick
Waki gatame: “the Couch”; kansetsuwaza with the pressure applied to the opponent’s elbow with one’s armpit
Waza ari: major advantage (7 point score)
Waza ari awasete ippon: victory by points; victory by two wa; 2 waza ari = ippon (10 points), enough to establish a win
Yoshi: carry on; continue after a sono mama
Yuko: advantage (5 point score)
Yoko geri keikomi: side kick
Yusei gachi: victory by superiority
Abunai: Watch out! Lit. means “dangerous”
Acupuncture: A Chinese system of medicine and healing using needles on certain key points of the body.
Age: rising
Age tsuki: rising block; deflection of attacks to the head and face.
Agility: the ability to rapidly change the axis and speed of attack or defense.
Ai: love, harmony, unification; the way in which the opponent’s force is combined with and thus nullified.
Aikido: The Way of Harmony with universal energy. Martial art developed in Japan since 1931 by Master Morihei Ueshiba. Foundation of the first dojo, the Kobukai. Aikido techniques are divided into two categories: nagewaza (throwing techniques) and katamewaza (controlling techniques). Aikikai, the Aikido association, was formed on February 9, 1948.
Aikijutsu: “Art of Spirit/Harmony.” A combat technique, forerunner of aikido and a school of jiu-jitsu.
Ai uchi: “mutual striking”: each opponent delivering a simultaneous blow.
Arigato: thanks
Armlock: method of applying leverage to the joints of an opponent’s arm to cause pain and immobilization.
Arnis de mano: Lit. “harness of the hand”; Philipino twin stick, knife and hand-to-hand fighting.
Asagari: morning mist; kyusho at the insertion of the tongue at the bottom of the chin.
Ashi: foot / leg
Ashi barai: foot sweep; unbalancing an opponent by striking or hooking his leg.
Ashi bumi: first position in kyudo, or position of the feet and body in relation to the target.
Ashi garami: leg entanglement; trapping an opponent’s leg by one’s own and applying leverage to it.
Ashi gatame: leg lock; locking the opponent’s arm using leverage applied by one’s foot.
Ashi guruma: leg wheel; throw in which the opponent is thrown over an extended leg.
Ashi hishigi; leg crush
Ashi kubi: ankle
Ashi kubi hishigi: ankle crush
Ashi waza: foot techniques; techniques which use the leg or foot.
Atama: head or head butt
Atarimae da mochiron: of course
Ate: strike; blow delivered by a hand which is not closed into a fist
Atemi: striking the vital areas of the body; used much in jiu-jitsu but illegal in judo contests
Atemi waza: striking techniques; blows and kicks
Attrition: the process by which assets are destroyed and energy reserves are consumed.
Attrition warfare: This is war according to the Marquis de Queensburg wherein strength meets strength and force meets force. Surprise, deception and feint are rejected in favor of strength and quantity of strikes. The enemy will be defeated when he ceases to exist as a force on the battlefield. Much energy is expended to bring the enemy to a decisive battle, so he may be destroyed. Attrition warfare ignores the psychology of the fighters involved, and focuses instead on tangible and quantifiable phenomena, such as strike effects and damage accumulation.
Attention stance: formal stance adopted by martial arts students before beginning training.
Atoshi baraku: a little more time left; indication of 30 seconds to go in a competitive bout.
Augment: strengthening a technique by harnessing a body action to it.
Awasette: combining together; adding two half points in competition to produce on full point
Axe kick: swinging one’s foot high into the air and then dropping the heel, usually on the opponent’s head or collar bones.
B
Back fist: punch using the back of the knuckles to attack the side of the head or body
Back kick: Thrusting kick performed with the back turned towards the target. The heel strikes the target.
Baka: idiot, stupid, fool
Bakemono: monster
Balisong: correct term for the Philipino butterfly knife.
Ball of foot: pad of flesh on the bottom of the foot which is exposed when the toes are drawn back.
Bandesh: Indian empty-hand fighting technique
Bando: Burmese martial art featuring boxing methods based on animal movements.
Banshay: Burmese form of weapon arts using staff, sword and spear
Basho: one of the six major 15 day annual sumo tournaments
Basics: elementary techniques of a martial are, on which all else is built
Bassai: to penetrate a fortress; shorin ryu karate kata
Batto jutsu: art of cutting with a sword; techniques of drawing a sword and immediately using it to cut down the opponent. Compare with iai-jutsu.
BDA: Battle Damage Assessment; the process by which the actual damage done to the target is evaluated after an attack, and by which the necessity for further attacks is determined.
Belt: strip of colored fabric worn around the waist, the color denoting the wearer’s degree of attainment
Bersilat: Malaysian martial art derived from Indonesian pentjak-silat. Also found in Jama and Sumatra.
Biot: ancient form of weaponless fighting found in India and reputed to be 3,000 years old
Black Belt: represents the first significant rank in martial arts training. In Hagakure jiu-jitsu, though teaching at a lower rank is possible, teaching is a requirement for a person in possession of a black belt.
Blitzkrieg: “lightning war” from the German offensives of WWII, particularly the fall of France, 1940. Attacking so hard, fast and unexpectedly that proper defense is impossible. The “wrath of God” attack is an example of blitzkrieg.
Block: using the body, arm or leg to interrupt or divert an attack
Bo: staff measuring from 5ft. to 6ft. (1.6m – 2m) depending on the ryu. The bo is extremely effective. The preferred weapon of the ancient warrior monks, some bo were made of iron and had a hexagonal section.
Bodhidharma: The first Chan patriarch in China (460-534) and 28th patriarch after Buddha. He came to southern China from India in the 6th century and later settled in the Shao Lin (Shorin) temple where he trained monks in a type of unarmed combat in order to toughen their bodies and minds.
Bogu: armor
Bogu kumite: sparring in armor; form of armored sparring which allows full power strikes and kicks.
Bojutsu: techniques of the staff. Bojutsu is studied in the dojo as a complement to the unarmed techniques. This technique involves sliding the pole through the hands like a billiard cue.
Bok hok pai: a Chinese system of kung fu based on the mannerisms of the white crane.
Bokken: a solid wooden sword used for training purposes in kendo. In trained hands a bokken can be fatal.
Bok mei pai: very fast “white eyebrow” style of kung fu, named after its founder who is said to have been banned from the Shaolin temple because he killed one of his fellow students in a fight.
Bot jum do: short, heavy Chinese knife used in pairs. Popularly referred to as “butterfly knives”.
Boxer Rebellion: a war against Western influence in China in 1900; was so named because many of those involved were trained in “Chinese Boxing” i.e. kung fu.
Breakfall: a way of landing safely after falling.
Breaking: method of impact power testing with the body’s natural weapons, using wood, tiles, stones and bricks.
Bu: martial or military
Buddhism: eastern religion that spread from India to China
Budo: Japanese martial arts. Budo (bu = warrior and do = way) means the Warrior’s Way. Budo differs from bujutsu (jutsu = technique) in that Budo is more a philosophical or religious methodology while bujutsu is strictly military or defensive techniques. Bu also means reconciliation, harmony and avoiding the spear. Thus Budo could be translated the Harmonious Way.
Budoka: a person who practices martial arts in general.
Bujutsu: fighting arts of the Japanese warrior class.
Bunkai: application of form; analysis; method for studying the application of technique
Bushi: lit. a martial man; indicating warrior who follows the ethical code of Bushido. The virtues of the bushi are:
Doryo: magnanimity
Shiki: resolution
Onsha: generosity and tolerance
Fudo: posture and attitude, immutability
Giri: concern with duty
Ninyo: magnanimity (on a differing level from doryo)
Bushido: “The Way of the Warrior” – code of honor of the Japanese warrior. The word, popularized by Inazo Nitobe in his work Bushido, the Soul of Japan, published at the beginning of the 20th century, defines the code of honor of the ancestors. A spiritual law which Japanese nationalists in particular have constantly praised. Integrity, justice, courage, contempt of death, goodwill, politeness, sincerity, honor, loyalty and self-control are the principle rules of bushido.
Butsumetsu: “the day Buddha died”; kyusho at the ribs under the pectoralis major and the insertion of the scapula.
Butterfly knife: short, heavy Chinese knife used in pairs. The proper name is bot jum do.
Cedan geri: forward heel snap
Chui: serious infringement (5 point penalty)
De ashi barai: lead foot lateral sweep
Empi (or igi): elbow strike
Fusen gachi: victory default
Hajime: begin / start
Hansoku make: disqualification
Hantei: call for decision by the judges
Hara gatame: choking arm bar
Harai goshi: hip throw with leg sweep
High mae geri: front snap kick (e.g. to chin)
Hiki wake: draw; drawn contest
Hiza gatame: kansetsuwaza with pressure applied by one’s forearm or knees
Hiza guruma: plant foot on back of knee and push/pull arm and shoulder
Ippon: full points (10 point score)
Ippon seoi nage: shoulder roll
Kagato geri: heel stomp
Kami basami – scissor throw
Kansetsuwaza: any number of elbow locks
Kiken gachi: victory by opponent injury
Keikoku: grave infringement (7 point penalty)
Ko soto gari: lead leg pull by heel
Ko uchi gari: inside inside leg hook
Koka: slight advantage (3 point score)
Koshi guruma: hip throw by neck
Kotegaeshi: wrist flex
Mae geri keage: front snap kick
Mae geri keikomi: front snap stomp
Mae hiza: knee kick
Maki komi: one arm hip throw
Matte: stop
Mawashi geri: round house kick
Mikazuki geri: slap kick
Morote gari: two leg take down (also referred to as “shooting”)
Naname tsuki: hook
Non combativity: issued as a reason for the warnings: shido, chi, keikoku and hansoku make
O goshi: hip throw
O soto gari: outside major leg sweep
O uchi gari: inside outside leg hook
Osae komi: begin of hold down
Rei: bow
Sasae tsuri komi ashi: momentum outside leg trip
Shido: slight infringement (3 point penalty)
Shito: spear hand
Shuto: strike with either the inner or outer ridge of the hand
Sode tsuri komi goshi: hip throw holding arms
Sogo gachi: victory by combination
Sono mama: do not move; freeze
Sore made: all over
Sukui nage: step behind “bale throw”
Tai otoshi: spinning momentum leg trip
Teicho: palm strike
Toketa: hold down broken
Tomoe nage: “Kirk Special”; grabbing the opponent by the lapels and rolling back while planting the foot in the opponent’s stomach
Tori: defender; the person on the giving end of the defensive technique
Tsuki age: uppercut
Tsukkake close: hook to body
Tsukkake far: boxing straight or jab
Uchi mata: hip throw with foot pushing back on opponent’s knee
Uchi oroshi: hammer fist
Ude garami: folding arm bar
Ude gatame: “the Dog Walk”; kansetsuwaza with pressure pushing forward causing the opponent to crawl on knees and one hand
Uke: aggressor; the person on the receiving end of the defensive technique
Uke waza: blocks (facing, inside, outside, cross, sweep)
Uki goshi: half-hip throw
Ura ichi: back fist
Ura mawashi: back kick (heel kick)
Ushiro geri keage: near rear groin kick
Waki gatame: “the Couch”; kansetsuwaza with the pressure applied to the opponent’s elbow with one’s armpit
Waza ari: major advantage (7 point score)
Waza ari awasete ippon: victory by points; victory by two wa; 2 waza ari = ippon (10 points), enough to establish a win
Yoshi: carry on; continue after a sono mama
Yuko: advantage (5 point score)
Yoko geri keikomi: side kick
Yusei gachi: victory by superiority
