Terminology
What Do All These Words Mean?
Learning martial arts can involve getting your head around a confusing number of new words and phrases. This isn't an exhaustive list, but it hopefully gives you an idea about some of the most commonly used terms. You can read a brief description for each and/or click on the sound samples below to hear them read aloud.
AikidĹŤ - a Japanese martial art :-)
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
Dojo - training hall
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
Kata - predetermined set of movements to drill as part of training
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
Suburi - repetitive weapon training exercise
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
Hajime - begin, sometimes used to signal the start an exercise or kata
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
Yame - stop, sometimes used to signal the end an exercise or kata
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
Mokuso - meditation/contemplation
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
Keikogi - training clothes
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
Obi - belt
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
Hakama - pleated traditional Japanese trousers
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
Bokken - wooden sword used for training
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
Jo - short wooden staff used for training
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
Tanto - wooden training knife
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
Tori or Nage - both terms are used to describe the person performing a technique, counterpart to uke
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
Uke - the person receiving the technique, counterpart to tori/nage
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
Ukemi - the skill of safely receiving a technique, how to fall or escape
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
Onegaishimasu - please (let's train), usually said to each other at the start of a class or to signal readiness to a training partner
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
Domo arigato gozaimashita - thank you very much, usually said to each other at the end of a class
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)