Kendo vocabulary

kendo剣道

the way of the sword; training the mind, body, and character through one-on-one striking practice using the shinai while wearing bogu

kenshi剣士

kendoist

dan段

ranking system for advanced levels (1=lowest, 8=highest); equivalent to black belt in other martial arts

kyu級

ranking system for beginning levels (6=lowest, 1=highest); equivalent to a brown belt in other martial arts

yudansha有段者

kendoist with a rank of 1st dan (shodan) or higher

kodansha高段者

one with a high dan rank, typically 5th dan (godan) or higher

sensei先生

instructor, usually with rank 4th dan (yondan) or higher

shomen正面

the side of the dojo or hall farthest from the main entrance, the side having the highest place of honor

seiza正座

seated attention position

kiai気合

a shout or yell to show spirit

kigurai気位

confidence, presence, bearing

kokyu呼吸

breathing

shinsa審査

promotional examination

counting (1,2,3, ... ,10)一 二 三 四 五 六 七 八 九 十

ichi, ni, san, shi, go, roku, shichi, hachi, kyu, ju

hajime始め

"Begin!"

yame止め

"Stop!"

ki-o-tsuke気を付け

"Attention!"

seiretsu整列

"make a line"

chakuza着座

"sit down (in seiza)"

kiritsu起立

"stand up"

men-tsuke面付け

"put on the men"

men-tore面取れ

"take off the men"

nuke-to抜け刀

"draw the sword (shinai)"

osame-to納め刀

"return the sword (shinai)"

haiはい

"Yes!" Used in place of "okay", or "I understand."

Uniform

hakama袴

kendo clothing worn on the lower part of the body, a long divided skirt-like trousers

keiko-gi稽古着

kendo clothing worn on the upper part of the body, a thick jacket-like shirt

Armour

bogu防具

kendo armor consisting of men, kote, do, and tare

men面

kendo armor to protect the face, head, and shoulders

kote小手

kendo armor used to protect the hand and forearm

do胴

kendo armor to protect the trunk and chest

tare垂

kendo armor to protect the waist, groin, and upper legs

tsuki突き

flap on the men which protects the throat

tenugui手拭い

thin cotton towel worn on the head under the men

nafuda名札

name tag worn on the center of the tare; also called "zekken"

Swords

shinai竹刀

bamboo sword used in kendo

kensen剣先

the tip of the shinai

nakayui中結

thin strip of leather tied around the shinai about one third down from the tip

tsuba鍔

circular guard on the shinai

tsuka柄

the handle of the shinai

tsuka-gashira柄頭

the very end (bottom) of the tsuka

tsuru弦

the string which holds the shinai together

monouchi物打

the region of the shinai most effective for striking, located between the tip and the nakayui

datotsu-bu打突部

the part of the shinai with which one should strike the opponent. Refers to the jin-bu (side opposite the tsuru) around the region of the mono-uchi.

bokken木剣

wooden sword, primarily used for kendo kata

bokuto木刀

same as bokken

Opening and closing

mokuso黙想

meditation performed in the seiza position

mokuso-yame黙想止め

command to stop mokuso

rei礼

bow

shomen-ni-rei正面に礼

command given to bow to the shomen; done while in seiza

sensei-ni-rei先生に礼

command given to bow to the sensei, done while in seiza

onegai shimasuお願いします

"I request the favor (of a practice)"; said at the beginning of practice during "sensei-ni-rei"

arigato gozaimashitaありがとうございました

"Thank you very much"; said at the end of practice during "sensei-ni-rei"

Always

rei-gi礼儀

matters of etiquette

rei-ho礼法

doctrines of etiquette

chaku-so着装

the manner of wearing keikogi, hakama, and bogu

ritsu-rei立礼

standing bow

sage-to提げ刀

the posture taken when performing ritsu-rei, with the shinai held in the left hand with the arm hanging naturally at the side. The tsuru faces downward and the hand next to the tsuba.

sogo-no-rei相互の礼

ritsu-rei to the opponent. The angle is about 15 degrees, and eye contact is maintained.

keiko稽古

practice, training

ashi-sabaki足捌き

footwork

ato-geiko後稽古

literally after practice, usually a second practice session for advanced kenshi following a primary practice session which stresses kihon

datotsu打突

striking and thrusting. A valid point is referred to as yuko datotsu.

datotsu-bui打突部位

the correct striking or thrusting zones of the kendo-gu (protective gear), refers to the men, kote, do, and tsuki areas

datotsu-no-kikai打突の機会

chance of strike

furi-kaburi振りかぶり

big movement swing of the shinai above one's head

hasuji刃筋

cutting path of the sword (angle of cut)

haya-suburi早素振り

fast suburi, one count per backward step plus forward strike

hiraki-ashi開き足

footwork used when the body is moving diagonally (front foot is same side as forward shoulder)

issoku-itto-no-maai一足一刀の間合

distance from which one can strike in one step

jiyu-keiko自由稽古

free practice

kakari-geiko掛かり稽古

attack practice

kamae-te構えて

command to assume kamae

kihon基本

basics

kihon-dosa基本動作

basic exercises, including uchi-kata and suburi

kiri-kaeshi切り返し

basic exercise in which the sides of the men are struck repeatedly, typically in sets of a straight men followed by 4 strikes forward and 5 strikes backward

ma-ai間合

distance between opponents

mawari-geiko回り稽古

rotation keiko

men-no-uchi, gokai

"basic men strike, 5 times"

men-no-uchi, sankyodo

"basic men strike, three count movements" (1=raise shinai, 2=strike, moving forward, 3=step back)

metsuke目付

use of the eyes to see the opponent, see basic concepts

motodachi元立ち

person being struck to provide instruction, for example in uchikomi-geiko, kakari-geiko, or kihon shiai

okuri-ashi送り足

the most basic footwork used in kendo, where the feet start and end in the basic kamae position with the right foot in front and the toes of the left foot even with the line of the right heel

sayu-men左右面

the right and left striking zones of the men

seme攻め

pressure applied to one's opponent

shiai-geiko試合稽古

match practice

shin-kokyu深呼吸

deep breathing exercise

shisei姿勢

posture

shizentai自然体

natural standing position

shomen-uchi正面打ち

a strike to the center of the men

suri-ashiすり足

footwork in which the feet do not lose contact with the floor

te-no-uchi手の内

the usage of the hands to tighten/loosen the grip on the shinai or adjusting the balance between the hands when striking or responding

uchikomi-geiko打ち込み稽古

practice striking the basic points on the motodachi

waza技

technique, see advanced concepts

zanshin残心

mental and physical presence of spirit, especially after completing an attack

kamae構え

basic stance; ready position

chudan-no-kamae中段の構え

basic kamae, with the kensen pointed at the opponent's throat

jodan-no-kamae上段の構え

kamae with the shinai above the head, with the left hand above the forehead about one fist away

tai-to帯刀

holding the shinai at the left hip, ready to draw. The tsuka-gashira should be in front of the center of the body.

sonkyo蹲踞

the crouching position in which begins and ends each bout

tsuba-zeriai鍔迫り合い

the position in which the opponents are close to each other with tsuba or fists together

suburi素振り

sword swinging techniques

jogeburi上下振り

full sword swing; an exercise used for relaxing and warming up the shoulders and upper back

suburi素振り

basic exercise which simulates striking the men repeatedly, performed without an opponent

suburi-ikkyodo素振り一挙動

one-count suburi (alternate striking forward and backward on each count)

suburi-nikyodo素振り二挙動

two-count suburi (raise the shinai on the odd count; strike on the even count, alternating the going forward and backward and each strike)

shiai試合

match

shiai-jo試合場

court

men ari面あり

"men" (awarding of the men point in a match)

kote ari小手あり

"kote" (awarding of the kote point in a match)

do ari胴あり

"do" (awarding of the do point in a match)

tsuki ari突きあり

"tsuki" (awarding of the tsuki point)

encho延長

match overtime period

fusensho不戦勝

a match win by default, due to the opponent's absence or forfeit

gogi合議

referee's conference during a match, held in the center of the court

hansoku反則

match foul, results in one half-point against the offending player

hansoku ikkai反則一回

"first hansoku"

hansoku nikai, ippon ari反則二回 一本あり

"second hansoku, one point" (awarded to the opponent of the offending player)

hantei判定

referees' decision of the winner of a match

hikiwake引き分け

match draw

igi異議

formal protest in a match, registered by a team manager

ippon gachi一本勝ち

a match decided by one point, due to time running out in sanbon-shobu

ippon shobu一本勝負

one point match (first person to score wins)

jogai場外

stepping out of bounds (this is a hansoku)

kachinuki勝ち抜き

a method of conducting matches in which the winner remains and keeps fighting until defeated

kaishi-sen開始線

starting line in the court

kihon-shiai基本試合

tournament in which kihon is judged. Usually includes rei-ho, kiri-kaeshi, and basic uchikomi

kumiawase組み合わせ

tournament match-ups

mejirushi目印

red or white tag tied to the crossed do strings on the back, used to distinguish the players in a match

nihon me二本目

"Second point" (continues sanbon-shobu after one player has scored the first point of the match)

sanbon shobu三本勝負

three point match (first person to score two points wins)

shiai-jikan試合時間

match time limit

shinai-otoshi竹刀落とし

losing control of the shinai (this is a hansoku)

shobu勝負

"Match" (continues sanbon shobu after each player has one point)

shobu ari勝負あり

"Match done" (announces the end of the match)

taikai大会

tournament

wakare分かれ

during shiai: "separate" (timer does not stop)

yuko datotsu有効打突

valid point

senpo先鋒

first player in a team match

jiho次鋒

second player in a team match

chuken中堅

middle player in a team match

fukusho副将

second to last player in a team match

taisho大将

last player in a team match (captain)

kantoku監督

team manager

shushin主審

chief referee (makes the match pronouncements)

fukushin副審

sub-referees in a match

shinpan審判

judge; referee

shinpan-cho審判長

head judge

shinpan-shunin審判主任

court judge