Glossary of Terms
Comprehensive glossary of martial arts terminology
White stretchy trousers in which capoeira is practiced. A cord, the corda, is worn with them, and its color marks the grade.
BrazilJapanese for leg or foot. It is the root of ashi-waza (foot and leg throws in judo), ashi sabaki (footwork) and ashi garami.
JapanThe largest group of judo throws: throws, foot sweeps and leg reaps. The Kodokan lists 21 techniques in it, from de-ashi-harai to uchi-mata.
A tall hand drum of African origin. In the capoeira roda it holds the basic rhythm together with the berimbau and pandeiro.
Head in Japanese. As a target it belongs to the upper level, jodan. A head strike is called zutsuki, with the same character read zu.
Strikes to the opponent's body in the Japanese arts. In aikido and jujutsu they serve mainly to break balance or attention before a throw or a lock.
A ceremonial “baptism” of a new capoeirista. The student plays with a master, receives a first cord and often a nickname.
A single-string musical bow with a gourd, the main instrument of capoeira. Its rhythm (toque) determines what game the players in the roda play.
The moment in historical fencing when the blades of both fencers touch and stay in contact. The fencer feels whether the opponent presses strongly or weakly.
GermanyProtective gear in kendo made of four parts: the men helmet, kote gloves, do chest protector and tare hip guard. Valid strikes target three of them.
Command from the referee in boxing and kickboxing to break a clinch. Both fighters must step back before they may strike again.
United StatesJapanese for “martial way”: the collective name for Japanese martial arts in which, besides technique, the aim is the education and development of the person.
Analysis of a kata: finding and practising the fighting use of its movements with a partner. Literally “disassembly”, the techniques used are called oyo.
Korean command meaning “attention”. The student stands upright with heels together and arms along the body. In taekwondo it usually precedes the bow.
South KoreaHojo undo tool: a concrete or stone weight at the end of a wooden handle. It strengthens the fingers, wrists, forearms, shoulders and chest.
Paired wing chun exercise in which both partners keep their forearms in constant contact and react to each other's pressure. It develops sensitivity and reflexes.
ChinaThe middle height level a technique is aimed at: the torso from neck to waist. In kendo, it is also the name of the basic stance with the sword tip toward the opponent.
Close-range standing fight in which opponents hold each other by the neck, arms or torso. In muay thai and MMA it is used for knee strikes and takedowns.
A master grade in Japanese and Korean martial arts, usually with a black belt. First awarded in 1883 by Kano Jigoro in judo.
“Field of elixir” in the lower abdomen, in Chinese tradition the store of qi and the body's center of gravity. Japanese tanden.
Training uniform in Korean martial arts, mainly in taekwondo. The Korean counterpart of the Japanese keikogi, written with the same characters 道服.
The sumo ring: a raised platform of packed clay with a circle 4.55 m in diameter, marked out by straw bags called tawara.
Training hall of Korean martial arts, mainly taekwondo and hapkido. Written with the same characters as the Japanese dojo (道場).
Hall where Japanese martial arts are practised. Literally “place of the way”, with its own etiquette, cleaning and a fixed arrangement of the space.
A short set of dojo principles that practitioners recite at the end of training. The best known is the five-point dojo kun of Shotokan karate.
The line along which a kata is practised, and the point where it begins. Almost every Japanese kata begins and ends at the same place, the kiten point.
The elbow as a striking surface. Empi means “monkey arm”, the common word for elbow is hiji. An elbow strike is called empi-uchi.
Fighting with a long weapon in one hand and a short one in the other, in Filipino martial arts typically a stick or sword and a knife.
PhilippinesA dodge in capoeira. Capoeira hardly blocks attacks, but evades them with the body, to the side, downward or backward.
Explosive release of force by the whole body, typical of internal Chinese styles. A short strike comes from the legs and hips, not just the arm.
An immovable mind that fear, anger or surprise cannot throw off balance. The concept comes from Buddhism.
A greeting with palms pressed together in front of the chest, taken over from Buddhism. In Shorinji Kempo it replaces the usual bow.
The lower height level a technique is aimed at: from the waist down. The best-known technique with this word is the block gedan barai.
Modern Japanese martial arts that arose after the Meiji reforms in 1868, such as judo, karate, aikido or shorinji kempo.
Japanese for “kick”. In karate it is the second part of every kick name: mae-geri, yoko-geri, mawashi-geri, ushiro-geri. On its own it is read keri.
Taking the initiative only after the opponent's attack. The fighter blocks or evades it and immediately strikes the opening that results.
A Brazilian jiu-jitsu position in which the practitioner lies on their back and controls the opponent with the legs. From guard they attack with joint locks, chokes and sweeps.
Getting past the legs of an opponent lying in guard into side control or another top position. In BJJ it earns three points under IBJJF rules.
Moving from standing into guard without a throw: the fighter sits or lies down and pulls the opponent in. A common tactic in competitive BJJ.
Filipino word for teacher, a common instructor title in Filipino martial arts (arnis, eskrima, kali).
The title of a teacher and master of kalaripayattu in Kerala. A gurukkal leads the kalari and teaches fighting and traditional healing.
IndiaBreaking boards, tiles or bricks with a strike or a kick. In taekwondo it is shown at demonstrations and in ITF it is also a competition discipline.
Korean command meaning “salute” or “bow”. In taekwondo it follows the command charyeot at the start and end of training, a match and an exercise.
Fighting and sparring in taekwondo. The Olympic bout is scored with electronic trunk and head protectors under WT rules.
Instep, literally “back of the foot”. The striking surface of the arcing kick mawashi-geri, especially in sport karate and taekwondo.
The command “begin” in Japanese martial arts. In judo and karate the referee uses it to start a match, the coach to start an exercise, kata or randori.
Wide pleated trousers with seven pleats, worn in kendo, iaido, aikido, kyudo and other Japanese arts.
Release of the arrow, the seventh of the eight phases of shooting in kyudo. It should come as the natural peak of tension, not as a conscious decision.
The highest of the three shogo teaching titles, next to renshi and kyoshi. In kendo it can be earned no sooner than eight years after kyoshi and eighth dan.
The belly, in martial arts chiefly the lower belly as the body's center of gravity. The point below the navel is seika tanden, the Japanese counterpart of the Chinese dantian.