Japanese lexicon

The vocabulary you will hear on the mat. Nobody expects you to memorise this before your first class, you pick it up by hearing it. It is here so you can look something up afterwards.

A

Age 上げ
rising, a movement travelling from low to high
Ashi
leg, foot
Atama
head
Atemi 当身
strike to the body
Ayumi 歩み
walking, natural step

B

Barai 払い
sweep
Budo 武道
martial art (bu: war, do: way)

C

Choku
direct, straight
Chudan 中段
middle level

D

Dachi 立ち
stance

E

Empi
elbow

G

Gari
reap, mow
Gatame
hold, immobilisation
Gedan 下段
low level
Geri 蹴り
kick
Go
five
Gyaku
reverse, opposite

H

Hachi
eight
Hajime 始め
begin
Hara
belly, centre
Hidari
left
Hiza
knee

I

Ichi
one
Irimi 入り身
entering, moving into the centre

J

Jime 締め
strangle, choke
Jodan 上段
high level
Jutsu
art, technique
Juji 十字
cross
Ju
ten

K

Kekomi 蹴込み
thrusting, penetrating
Kiba 騎馬
horse rider (as in the stance)
Kiritsu 起立
stand up
Ko
small, minor
Ku
nine

M

Mae
front, forward
Mawari 回り
turning, around
Mawashi 回し
circular, roundhouse
Migi
right
Morote 双手
with both hands

N

Nage 投げ
throw
Nagasu 流す
to let flow, to divert
Ni
two

O

O
big, major
Oi 追い
pursuing, chasing

R

Rei
bow, salute
Ritsurei 立礼
standing bow
Roku
six

S

Sabaki 捌き
handling, evasive movement
San
three
Seiza 正座
formal kneeling position
Sensei 先生
teacher
Shi
four
Shichi
seven
Soto
outside

T

Te
hand
Tori 取り
the one who applies the technique
Tsuki 突き
punch, thrust

U

Uchi
inside (also: a strike, 打ち)
Ude
arm, forearm
Uke 受け
the one who receives; a block
Ukemi 受身
breakfall, receiving with the body
Ura
reverse side, opposite
Ushiro 後ろ
behind, backward

W

Waki
side, flank
Waza
technique

Y

Yame 止め
stop
Yoi 良い
ready, good
Yoko
side, lateral

Z

Zen
front, forward

Your first class is free

Wednesday, 20:30 – 22:00, at the Dojo du Cinquantenaire (9 rue Abbé Cuypers, 1040 Brussels). Just show up in sportswear. Nothing to book, nothing to pay.

Plan your first class