Glossary of Japanese Sword Arts 

Age - lift, raise
Aiuchi - strike together
Arigato - thank you (informal)
Ashi - foot
Ashikubi - ankle
Atama - head
Ate - strike
Atouchi - delayed strike
Ayumi-ashi - 'moving foot forward,' footwork when walking
Batto - draw the sword, iai
Boken, bokuto - wooden sword
Budo - training path of warfare
Bukuro - sword bag
Bunkai - application of kata techniques (with opponent)
Bushido - training path of the warrior
Chanbara - sword fight, modern sport
Chiburi - movement of blood shake (cleaning)
Chi-isai - small
Chinugui - blood wipe, sword on or above right knee
Choken - long sword, padded sword in chanbara
Chudan - middle level (in koryu curriculum)
Chudan no kamae - middle level guard posture
Dai kyo soku kei - big, strong, fast, smooth (in katana technique)
Daisho - katana and wakizashi
Daito - long sword, worn cutting edge upwards
Dan - step, grade
Datto - remove sword from obi
Debanawaza - attack using the initial technique of the opponent
Deshi - student
Do - (soft) side of the torso, also: degrees (angle)
Dojo - place where budo is practiced
Domo arigato - thank you (formal)
Domo arigato gozaimasu - thank you (very formal)
Domo - thanks (informal)
Dozo - please (go ahead)
Embu - display, demonstration
Enzan no metsuke - gazing at distant mountains
Fudoshin - imperturbable ('unfettered,' 'unstopped') mind
Fukuro - sword bag
Fumikomi - moving forward with stamping foot
Fumikomi ashi - stamping front or adjusting rear foot
Furikaburi - raising the sword to cut
Gakusai - student
Ganmen - center of face
Gedan no kamae - lower level guard posture
Gendaito - sword made after 1868
Giri / Kiri - cut
Go no sen (no waza) - five rules to conquer the opponent (reffers to timing)
Gomen nasai - excuse me (apology)
Gunto - military sword (WWII)
Gyaku - reverse, opposite, inverted
Gyaku kesa giri - diagonal upward cut
Ha - cutting edge
Habaki - collar against tsuba
Hai -  yes
Hajime - begin
Hakama - wide pleated trousers
Hanmi - posture with one foot in front, back foot lightly turned
Hanshi - master (highest shogo)
Haori - over jacket
Happogiri -  to cut in eight directions
Hara - abdomen
Hasso no kamae - guard posture with left foot forward, sword above right shoulder
Heiko - parallel
Henka waza - alternative interpretation of a technique
Hidari - left
Hidari jodan no kamae - left foot forward jodan
Hiji - elbow
Hiki - to pull
Hikigiri - pulling cut
Hikitaoshi - pulling down technique
Himo - cord, lace
Hiraki ashi - rear foot moves to front under new angle, front foot becomes rear foot
Hiza - knee
Iai - 'vigilance,' 'flexibility,' drawing the sword
Iaido - way of drawing the sword
Iaigoshi - lowered hip, ready posture
Iaihiza - seated posture with right knee raised, sitting on left foot
Iaijutsu - art of drawing the sword
Iaito - metal training sword
Ichi mon ji -  straight line
Ipon - point
Jikishin - 'direct mind,' honesty
Jodan no kamae - upper level guard posture
Junbitaiso o hajimemasu -  start warming up
Kabaite - wounded hand, punishment in sports chanbara
Kaiten - to turn
Kakato - heel
Kakemono - calligraphy roll
Kamae - guard posture
Kamaeto - take the guard
Kamiza - highest place of honor, to the right of shinzen
Kamiza ni rei - bow to kamiza
Kancho - dojo leader
Kashira - end of tsuka
Kata - shoulder
Kata - training form or set of forms
Katana (uchigatana) - Japanese long sword since the 15th century, worn edge up
Katana kake - sword stand
Katana o motte - get your swords
Katate - single handed
Katate - with one hand
Katate uchi - one hand cut
Katsu jin ken - life giving sword
Keiko - training
Keikogi - training jacket
Kendo - way of sword
Ken no sen - attacking after your opponent
Ken o fumu - stepping onto the sword
Kenjutsu - art of sword-fighting (with partner)
Kensen - point of the sword
Kesa - lapel of monk's costume, hanging from left shoulder
Kesa giri - diagonal downward cut (scarf cut)
Ki - breath power, inner strength
Ki ken tai ichi - spirit, sword and body are one, in harmony
Ki o tsukette - be careful
Kiai - shout or yell adding energy to a technique
Kihon - basic techniques
Kime - 'decision,' sharpness of movement in cutting
Kiri, kiru - to cut
Kiri-age - upward cut
Kirioroshi - vertical, forward cut
Kiriotoshi - cut over opponent's sword, dropping cut
Kirite - cutting ('living') hand
Kiritsu - Stand up
Kiritsuke - decisive cut
Kirukudashi - decisive cut
Kissaki - point
Kodachi - small sword, short padded sword in chanbara
Kohai - one's junior
Koiguchi - open end of saya ('carp's mouth')
Kokissaki - small kissaki
Kokoro - attitude of spirit, heart, honor, respect, confidence
Kokyu - breath control
Koryu - traditional school
Koshi - hip, waist
Kote - forearm
Kote uchi  - forearm/wrist strike
Koto - sword made between 806 - 1595
Kubi - neck
Kumitachi - training with partner
Kyoshi - teacher (middle shogo)
Kyu - beginner's ranking
Maai - position, distance in space (to the opponent)
Mae - in front
Maki ito - material of tsuka binding
Matte - wait
Mawari - to swing around
Mawatte - turn around
Me - eye
Mei - signature on tang
Men - face
Menkyo - teaching license
Metsuke - direction of looking
Migi - right
Migi jodan no kamae - right foot forward jodan
Mokuroku - catalogue of techniques
Mokuso - silence (meditation)
Mon - family crest
Monouchi - upper, cutting part of blade
Morote - with both hands
Motonoichi - assume the initial position
Mudansha - person without Dan ranking
Mune - back edge of blade
Mune - chest
Munen -  without thought
Mushin - without rational mind
Muso - without rational mind
Nakago - tang
Naname - diagonal
Nigiri - grip
Noto - re-sheathing the sword
Nukitsuke - draw
Nukitsuke - drawing and cutting
Obi - belt
Okissaki - large kissaki
Okuden - secret level (in koryu curriculum)
Okuri ashi -  footwork (sliding approaching step)
Omote - outside, front side, forward
Onegai shimazu - please (asking)
Oshiete kudasai - please, teach me
Osameto - put the sword back
Otoshu - falling, cutting downwards
Rei - bow
Reigi - etiquette
Reiho - method of bowing
Renshi - assistant teacher (lowest shogo)
Renzoku waza - training consecutive techniques
Riai - meaning, logic, principles, harmony of theory and praxis
Ritsurei - standing bow
Ryu - school, curriculum
Sabaki - movement
Sageo - braid from saya, tied to hakama himo
Sanpogiri - to cut in three directions
Sanbon shobu - match with 3 points
Satsu jin ken - life-taking sword
Saya - scabbard
Saya no uchi no kachi - victory in the saya, without drawing sword
Sayabiki - saya control, usually pulling back
Seigan - natural walk
Seitei - established
Seitei kata - established series of forms
Seitei iaido - established form (way) of sword pulling and cutting
Seiza - kneeling posture
Seme - pushing, pressing (mental and physical control of the opponent)
Semete - pressing, pushing hand
Sempai - one's senior
Sen no sen - attacking beore the opponent
Sen sen no waza - attacking at the same time as your opponent
Sensei  ni rei - bow to the sensei
Sensei - one who has gone before, teacher, master
Shaku - 30.2 cm
Shiai - match, competition
Shidachi - defending and following side
Shihan - highest teacher in dojo
Shin - Chinese concept of kokoro
Shinbu - true martial method
Shinite - 'dead' hand
Shinken - "new sword,' modern made live blade
Shinken shobu - drawing and cutting with a live blade, serious match
Shinpan - referee
Shinpan cho - tournament supervisor
Shinsa - grading
Shinshinto - blade made between 1804 - 1867
Shinto - sword made between 1596 - 1803
Shisei - posture
Shizen tai - natural posture
Shoden - first level (in koryu curriculum)
Shomen - front side of head
Shomen - straight ahead
Shomen kiri - front cut
Shomen uchi - cut or attack straight to the front of the opponent
Shoto - wakizashi
Shu ha ri - learning proces in budo: absorbing, understanding and leaving technique
Sode - sleeve
Soete - supporting hand
Soetetsuki no kamae - guard posture before thrusting in the abdomen
Sonkyo - half-crouching posture
Soto - outside
Suburito - heavy wooden sword
Suigetsu - solar plexus
Suihei - horizontal
Suki - weak, vulnerable point, opening, chance
Sumimasen - excuse me (to attract attention)
Sunden - point between the eyes
Suri-ashi - sliding foot
Suwari waza - sitting techniques
Tabi - formal soft footwear for inside the dojo
Tachi - Japanese long sword between the 8th an 15th century, worn edge down
Tachi waza - standing techniques
Tachirei - standing bow with the sword
Tai sabaki - body movement (while turning)
Taikai - competition, tournament
Tameshigiri - cutting test
Tanden - lower abdomen
Tate - upright, vertical
Tate ichi mon ji - vertical line
Tategiri - standing, stable cut
Tatehiza - iaihiza
Te - hand
Te no uchi - control of hands, correct grip, timing of shibori
Tekubi - wrist
To - curved, one-edged sword
Torei - bow to the sword
Tori - attacking side of a technique
Tsuba - hand guard
Tsugi ashi - rear foot toes move to front heel line
Tsuka ito - material of tsuka binding
Tsukamaki - tsuka binding
Tsuki - thrust
Uchi - inside; also: strike
Uchi - strike
Uchidachi - attacking side
Uchikaeshi - strikes and defenses, series of strikes and blocks in kendo
Ude - arm
Ude osae - pressing opponent's hand
Uke - receiving side of a technique
Ukenagashi - block and deflect
Ura - inside, back sid
Ushiro - behind
Uwagi - iaido jacket
Wakarimasen - I don't understand
Wakarimasu - I understand
Waki no kamae - guard posture with sword hidden behind the body
Wakizashi - short sword from daisho
Warui - bad
Waza - technique
Yame - "Stop", command during competition
Yoi - good
Yoko - flat, horizontal, to the side
Yoko giri - horizontal cut
Yokomen - side part of head
Yokomen uchi - cut to the side of the head
Yubi - finger, toe
Yudansha - person with Dan ranking
Zanshin - total awareness, composure and preparedness after the attack
Zarei - sitting bow
Zori - sandals for outside the dojo


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