Aikido Terminology

Aikido
The word Aikido is made up of three Japanese characters: ai - harmony, ki - spirit, mind, or universal energy, do - the way. Thus aikido is "The Way of Harmony with Universal Energy."

Aikidoka
A practitioner of aikido.

Aikikai
Aiki association. A term used to designate the organization created by the founder for the dissemination of aikido.

Atemi Waza
Techniques of striking.

Bokken
Wooden practice sword. Many Aikido movements are derived from traditional Japanese fencing. In advanced practice, weapons such as the bokken are used in learning subtleties of certain movements, the relationships obtaining between armed and unarmed techniques, defenses against weapons, and the like.

Budo
Martial way. The Japanese character for bu (martial) is derived from characters meaning stop and (a weapon like a) spear, so the literal translation is to stop the thrusting spear. In conjunction, then, bu may have the connotation to stop the spear. In aikido, there is an assumption that the best way to prevent violent conflict is to emphasize the cultivation of individual character. The way (do) of aiki is thus equivalent to the way of bu, taken in this sense of preventing or avoiding violence so far as possible.

Bushido
The way of chivalry.

Dan
Black belt rank. In International Aikido Federation Aikido, the highest rank it is now possible to obtain is 9th dan. There are some aikidoka who hold ranks of 10th dan. These ranks were awarded by O Sensei prior to his death, and cannot be rescinded. White belt ranks are called kyu ranks.

Deai
The moment of truth. The moment of the meeting of two forces.

Deshi
Student

Dogi
Training costume. See also 'gi.'

Dojo
Literally: place of the way or place of enlightenment. This is the place where Aikido is practiced.

Domo Arigato Gozaimashita
Loosely translated as: thank you very much for teaching us. At the end of each class, it is proper to bow and thank the instructor and those with whom you've trained with this phrase.

Hakama
The black or dark blue skirt-like pair of pants that is a traditional piece of samurai clothing, and worn over the gi.

Hanmi
The relaxed triangular stance of Aikido. It is stable yet flexible enough to move quickly in any direction. All technique begins, moves through, and ends in hanmi.

Hanmi Handachi
A position with the nage sitting and uke standing. Training in hanmi handachi waza is a good way of practicing techniques as though with a significantly larger or taller opponent.

Hara
The lower abdomen. The center of energy, physical, and spiritual life. All movement must originate from this point.

Irimi
Literally: entering the body. Entering, moving into, and through the line of attack with no thought of escape. The idea behind irimi is to place oneself in relation to an attacker in such a way that the attacker is unable to continue to attack effectively, and in such a way that one is able to control effectively the attacker's balance.

Jiyu Waza
A free-style practice of techniques. This usually involves more than one attacker who may attack nage in any way desired.

Jo
A wooden staff four to five feet in length. The jo originated as a walking stick, and it is unclear how it became incorporated into Aikido. Many jo movements come from traditional Japanese spear- fighting, others may have come from jo-jutsu, but many seem to have been innovated by the founder. The jo is usually used in advanced practice.

Jo dori
Techniques of staff taking.

Kamae
A posture or stance of readiness. In each kamae there are different positions for the hands or weapon. Jodan- high position; Chudan- middle position; Gedan- lower position.

Kamiza
A small shrine, generally located the front of the dojo, and often housing a picture of the founder, or some calligraphy. One generally bows in the direction of the kamiza when entering or leaving the dojo, or the mat.

Kata dori
Shoulder grab.

Katate dori
Wrist grab.

Katate dori ryote mochi
Grabbing your partner’s wrist with both hands.

Keiko
Study or practice. The deeper meaning is to return to the origin. Through the study of the past and appreciation for its experience, we can understand the present and refine our spirit.

Kiai
The release of spiritual and physical power in the form of a piercing scream originating in the hara.

Kohai
A student junior to oneself. Those who begin their study of Aikido after you. You owe them your help and support.

Kokyu
Breath. Part of Aikido is the development of kokyu ryoku, or "breath power." This is the coordination of breath with movement, which will easy exertion, and facilitate greater concentration, elimination of stress.

Kosa dori
Cross hand grab.

Koshi nage
Hip throw.

Kotodama
The spiritual function of sound. Every one syllable sound has its own spiritual vibration.

Kubi shime
A choke hold.

Kumi Jo
Jo matching exercise (paired jo practice).

Kumi Tachi
Sword matching exercise (paired sword practice).

Kyu
White belt rank.

Maai
The distance of time and space between two forces. The movement of the mind, the stream of spirit and their direction, as well as physical distance, determines the balanced and proper use of space.

Misogi
Purification of mind, body, and spirit. Sweating is misogi, cleaning is misogi, fasting is misogi, keiko is misogi.

Mudansha
Students without black-belt ranking, or those who are kyu-ranked.

Munetsuki
A straight punch to the chest or solar plexus.

Mushin
A mind without ego. A mind like a mirror that reflects and does not judge.

Musubi
Opposites are but different images of the same reality. Musubi is the process of their unification. It is the movement of the spiral.

Obi
A belt.

Omote
To the front.

O Sensei
Literally, Great Teacher, this title is used when speaking of Morihei Ueshiba, the founder of Aikido.

Randori
Free-style, all-out training against multiple attacks. Although Aikido techniques are usually practiced with a single partner, it is important to keep in mind the possibility that one may be attacked by multiple aggressors. Many of the body movements of Aikido are meant to facilitate defense against multiple attackers.

Rei
To bow.

Reigi
Rei can also be translated as holy spirit; gi as manifestation. When used together the words mean proper etiquette, respecting the creative force and spirit that is the same in all of us.

Ryote dori
Grabbing both wrists.

Ryokata dori
Grabbing both shoulders.

Samurai
Originally comes from the verb meaning ‘to serve.’ One who has the duty and responsibility to protect society.

Seiza
The formal sitting position of sitting on one's knees. Sitting this way requires acclimatization, but provides both a stable base and greater ease of movement than sitting cross-legged.

Sempai
A student senior to oneself. Those who began their study of Aikido before you. You owe them your respect for their experience.

Sensei
Teacher, one who gives guidance along the way. It is usually considered proper to address the instructor during practice as Sensei rather than by their name. If the instructor is a permanent instructor for one's dojo or for an organization, it is proper to address them as Sensei off the mat as well.

Senshin
A purified heart and spirit; enlightened attitude.

Shihan
Master Instructor, or teacher or teachers.

Shikko
Knee walking. Shikko is very important for developing a strong awareness of one's center of mass (hara). It also develops strength in one's hips and legs.

Shomen
Front or top of head. Also, the designated front of a dojo.

Shomenuchi
Strike or cut to the top of the head.

Shomentsuki
Thrust between the eyes.

Shinai
Split bamboo practice sword.

Shugyo
The daily work to refine and purify the quality of life.

Suburi
Practice with sword or bokken in which the same cut is repeated again and again. An excellent purification and meditation exercise.

Suwari Waza
Techniques executed with both uke and nage in a seated position. Important for learning to use one's hips and legs.

Tachi
A type of Japanese long sword.

Tachi dori
Techniques of sword taking.

Taijutsu
Empty handed techniques, or unarmed practice.

Takemusu Aiki
A maxim of the founder's meaning “infinitely generative martial art of aiki." This is used as a synonym for aikido. The scope of aikido is not limited only to the standard, named techniques one studies regularly in practice. Rather, these standard techniques serve as repositories of more fundamental principles (kihon). Once one has internalized the kihon, it is possible to generate a virtually infinite variety of new Aikido techniques in accordance with novel conditions.

Tanden
The hara.

Tanren
Training. Suburi is training; kumi tachi is study (keiko).

Tanto
A dagger or knife.

Tanto dori
Techniques of knife taking.

Tenkan
Turning movement, especially turning the body 180 degrees, used to dissipate force.

Ueshiba, Morihei
The founder of aikido. Often referred to as O Sensei. (Great Teacher).

Uke
Person being thrown or receiving the technique. At high levels of practice, the distinction between uke and nage becomes blurred. In part, this is because it becomes unclear who initiates the technique, and also because, from a certain perspective, uke and nage are thoroughly interdependent.

Ukemi
Literally receiving with (or through) the body. This is the art of falling in response to a technique, and protecting oneself from injury. Ideally, one should be able to execute ukemi from any position and in any direction. The development of proper ukemi skills is just as important as the development of throwing skills and is no less deserving of attention and effort.

Ura
Rear. A class of Aikido techniques executed by moving behind the attacker and turning.

Ushiro
Backwards or behind, as in ushiro ukemi (falling backwards).

Waza
Techniques. Although aikidoka practice specific techniques, Aikido as it might manifest itself in self-defense may not resemble any particular, standard aikido technique. This is because Aikido techniques encode strategies and types of movement that are modified in accordance with changing conditions.