Terms and Phrases
Aikido is practiced in thousands of dojos all around the world. Instead of translating the various techniques into the many languages people speak, we all refer to their original Japanese names. The following are a list of terms that we commonly use.

Aikido	Way of spiritual/energy harmony
Bokken	Wooden sword
Budo	Martial way
Dan	Black-belt rank
Dojo	Place of the Way, training hall
Doomo Arigatoo Gozai-mashita	Thank you very much
Doshu	Head of the Way
Gi	Uniform
Hajime	Begin
Irimi	To enter deeply
Jo	Short wooden staff
Kaiten	Rotate
Kata	Form or shoulder
Ki	Spirit or energy
Kokyu	Breath
Koshi	Hip
Kyu	Non-black belt rank
Maai	Distance & timing, the harmony of space
Nage	The defender, person who throws
Obi	Belt
Omote	In front of
O-Sensei	Morihei Oeshiba, founder of aikido, it means "Great Master"
Rei	Bow
Seiza	A kneeled sitting position
Sensei	Teacher
Shiho	Four directions
Shikaku	Dead angle, position behind uke
Shomen	Front of dojo
Tanto	Wooden knife
Tenchi	Heaven & earth
Uke	Attacker, one who receives
Ukemi	Falling practice
Ura	In back of
Waza	Technique
Yame	Stop
Yokomen	Side of head

Strikes

Kata dori	Shoulder grab
Katate dori	Wrist grab
Morote dori	Two-handed grab of one wrist
Ryote dori	Two-handed grab of both wrists
Shomen uchi	Front strike to head
Tsuke	Strike to abdomen
Ushiro	Get behind nage
Yokomen uchi	Strike side of head

Aikido of Los Gatos • P.O. Box 1183, Los Gatos, CA, 95031 • Tel: (408) 353-5415
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