Aikido Terminology

Dojo, Etiquette & Training Culture

• Dojo – Training hall
• Kamiza – Honoured side of the dojo
• Shomen – Front of dojo / direction of focus
• Sensei – Instructor / teacher
• Sempai – Senior student
• Kohai – Junior student
• O-Sensei – Morihei Ueshiba, founder of Aikido
• Rei – Bow / respect
• Ritsu Rei – Standing bow
• Zarei – Kneeling bow
• Seiza – Formal kneeling posture
• Mokuso – Meditation / quiet focus
• Hajime – Begin
• Yame – Stop
• Matte – Wait
• Onegaishimasu – Please train with me
• Arigato Gozaimashita – Thank you after training
• Dojo Kun – Dojo rules
• Reishiki – Etiquette system
• Shomen ni rei – Bow to front
• Sensei ni rei – Bow to instructor

Instructor & Teaching Roles

• Shihan – Master instructor
• Shidoin – Certified instructor (formal teaching qualification)
• Fuku shidoin – Assistant instructor
• Sensei – Instructor
• Sempai – Senior student guiding juniors
• Kohai – Junior student

Core Philosophy & Internal Concepts

• Aiki – Harmonising energy
• Ki – Life energy / intent
• Do – The Way
• Budo – Martial way
• Bushido – Warrior ethical code
• Zanshin – Remaining awareness
• Mushin – No-mind state
• Fudoshin – Immovable spirit
• Shin – Mind / heart / spirit
• Seishin – Spirit / mental clarity
• Hara – Centre of body
• Chushin – Central axis
• Tanden – Lower abdominal energy centre (physical and energetic centre of stability and power)
• Kokyu – Breath power
• Kokyu-ryoku – Breath strength
• Kiai – Spirit shout
• Maai – Distance and timing
• Awase – Blending
• Irimi – Entering movement
• Tenkan – Turning movement
• Omote – Front-side technique
• Ura – Rear or inside variation
• Sen – Initiative / timing

Stances (Positions)

• Hanmi – Half-body stance
• Ai-hanmi – Same stance orientation
• Gyaku-hanmi – Opposite stance orientation
• Migi hanmi – Right-foot forward stance
• Hidari hanmi – Left-foot forward stance
• Kamae – Ready posture
• Shizentai – Natural posture
• Tachi waza – Standing techniques
• Suwari waza – Kneeling techniques
• Hanmi handachi – One kneeling, one standing practice

Structure, Movement & Body Mechanics

• Tai sabaki – Body movement / repositioning
• Tsugi-ashi – Sliding step
• Ayumi-ashi – Natural walking step
• Irimi-tenkan – Enter and turn combination
• Kuzushi – Breaking balance
• Kuzure – Structural collapse
• Metsuke – Eye focus
• Seme – Pressure / forward intent
• Shisei – Posture
• Kokyu dosa – Breath-based movement exercise

Roles in Training

• Uke – Receiver of technique
• Nage – Person executing throw
• Tori – Person applying technique
• Aite – Training partner
• Shite – Technique executor
• Randori – Free multiple-attack practice
• Jiyu waza – Free technique practice
• Tokodachi – Assigned partner role (dojo-dependent)
• Oshite – Initiating/leading role in structured drills (dojo-dependent)
• Manabite – Learning-focused partner role (dojo-dependent)
• Uchideshi – Live-in student
• Soto deshi – Non-resident student

Attacks (Grabs and Strikes)

Grabs

• Katate-dori – One wrist grab
• Ryote-dori – Two-hand grab
• Morote-dori – Two-hand grab on one arm
• Kata-dori – Shoulder grab
• Muna-dori – Chest or lapel grab
• Sode-dori – Sleeve grab
• Hiji-dori – Elbow grab
• Ushiro ryote-dori – Rear double wrist grab
• Ushiro kata-dori – Rear shoulder grab
• Ushiro eri-dori – Rear collar grab

Strikes

• Shomen-uchi – Overhead strike
• Yokomen-uchi – Diagonal strike
• Tsuki – Punch or thrust
• Chudan-tsuki – Mid-level punch
• Jodan-tsuki – High punch
• Shomen-tsuki – Straight thrust

Techniques (Waza)

• Waza – Technique
• Kihon – Basics
• Henka – Variation
• Oyo waza – Applied technique
• Kata – Form
• Osae-waza – Pinning techniques
• Nage-waza – Throws
• Kansetsu-waza – Joint locks
• Ikkyo – First control
• Nikyo – Wrist control lock
• Sankyo – Rotational wrist lock
• Yonkyo – Nerve pressure control
• Gokyo – Fifth control
• Ude-garami – Arm entanglement
• Kime – Finishing control

Throws

• Shihonage – Four-direction throw
• Iriminage – Entering throw
• Kote-gaeshi – Wrist turn throw
• Koshinage – Hip throw
• Tenchinage – Heaven and earth throw
• Kaiten nage – Rotational throw
• Ushiro-nage – Rear throw
• Sumi-otoshi – Corner drop
• Aiki-otoshi – Aiki drop

Pins and Control

• Osae – Pin or hold
• Katame – Control or immobilisation
• Ikkyo osae – First control pin
• Nikyo osae – Second control pin
• Sankyo osae – Third control pin
• Yonkyo osae – Fourth control pin
• Gokyo osae – Fifth control pin

Ukemi (Falling Skills)

• Ukemi – Receiving technique / breakfall
• Mae ukemi – Forward roll
• Ushiro ukemi – Back fall
• Yoko ukemi – Side fall
• Tobi ukemi – Flying breakfall
• Zempo kaiten ukemi – Full forward roll

Weapons Training

Sword (Ken) Practice

• Bokken – Wooden sword
• Ken – Sword
• Kensen – Sword tip / line of intent
• Hasso – Shoulder-raised guard posture
• Hasso gaeshi – Transition/rotation from hasso into movement or cut
• Nidan giri – Two-step cutting pattern
• Zengo giri – Forward and backward cutting practice
• Ni ju hachi giri – Twenty-eight cut exercise set
• Kiri sage – Downward cutting sequence
• Kiritsuke – Finishing or decisive cut
• Aiki-ken – Aikido sword method
• Kumitachi – Partner sword practice
• Suburi – Solo sword swings
• Kiri-otoshi – Downward cutting drill

Parts of the Sword

• Tsuka – Handle
• Tsuba – Guard
• Kissaki – Tip of blade
• Ha – Cutting edge
• Mune – Back of blade
• Nakago – Tang inside handle
• Monouchi – Striking portion

Jo (Staff) Practice

• Jo – Wooden staff
• Aiki-jo – Aikido staff method
• Suburi jo – Solo staff swings
• Kumijo – Partner staff practice
• Tsuki jo – Thrusting technique
• Uchi jo – Striking technique
• Jo awase – Blending practice
• Jo kata – Structured staff forms
• Hasso no kamae (jo) – Raised guard posture with staff

Grading and Levels

• Kyu – Student grades
• Dan – Black belt grades
• Shodan – First black belt level
• Nidan / Sandan / Yondan / Godan – Higher Dan grades
• Yudansha – Dan graded practitioner
• Mudansha – Non-Dan practitioner
• Hakama – Traditional training trousers
• Shinsa – Grading examination

Flow, Energy and Advanced Concepts

• Nagare – Flow
• Musubi – Connection
• Aiki musubi – Harmonised connection
• Takemusu Aiki – Spontaneous creative technique
• Ki no nagare – Flowing technique
• Misogi – Purification practice
• Shugyo – Intensive disciplined training
• Tanren – Conditioning practice
• Kokyu dosa – Breath-power exercise
• Ritsuzen – Standing meditation

Organisations and Structure

• Aikikai – Main Aikido organisation
• Hombu Dojo – Headquarters dojo in Tokyo
• Shihan – Master instructor
• Aikido-ka – Practitioner
• Enbukai – Demonstration event