Waza
技
Japanese for “technique”, skill. In compounds it denotes groups of techniques: nage-waza, katame-waza, ashi-waza, uke-waza.
Quick Facts
Word breakdown
Definition
Waza (技) means technique or skill. In the Japanese martial arts it is used on its own and also as the second part of compounds that name groups of techniques. In judo these are nage-waza, throwing techniques, katame-waza, immobilization techniques, and their subgroups te-waza, koshi-waza, ashi-waza and sutemi-waza. In karate it forms geri-waza, kicks, and uke-waza, blocks. The word is also part of the competitive scoring term waza-ari, “technique is here”, and of the name renraku-waza, combination techniques.
Relations to other terms
Narrower terms
Collective name for all throws in judo and jujutsu. The Kodokan lists 68 of them, divided into standing throws and throws that sacrifice one's own balance.
Katame-waza固技 / 寝技Collective name for immobilization techniques in judo: holds on the ground, chokes and joint locks. The Kodokan lists 32 of them in three groups.
Geri蹴り / 蹴り技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.
Uke-waza受け技A group of blocks in karate, literally “receiving techniques”. It includes age-uke, soto-uke, uchi-uke and gedan-barai, which lacks the word uke in its name.