In our practice and study of the Japanese art of Ninpo you will hear many Japanese terms and phrases.. Here is a list of common terms used in Japanese Dojo.

  • Age (A-gay): to lift or rise up
  • Ashi kubi: Ankle
  • Ashi: Foot or leg
  • Atama/men- head
  • Ato (A-toe): Move back
  • Ato de (A-toe day): Afterwards
  • Batto (Ba-toe): Draw the sword
  • Bokuto o motte (boe-koo-toe oe moe-tay): Get your wooden sword
  • Budokan: warrior training hall
  • Chigau (Chee-ga-oo): Different
  • Chiisai (Chee-ee-sie): Small
  • Chikaku (Chee-ka-koo): Near
  • Chuushin (Chew-oo-shin): Center (or balance/heart/pivot/core)
  • Dai kyo soku kei (Die Kyoe-sock-oo-kay): Big strong fast smooth
  • Dame (Da-may): Wrong
  • Dehona waza (Day-hone-a wa-za): Strike as opponent moves
  • Dojo (Doe-joe): Place of the “way”. This can be the “way” of anything and not specifically martial arts!
  • Dome te (Doe-may tay): Stopping hand
  • Domo arigato gozaimashita oshiete kudasai (Doe-moe a-ree-ga-toe go-zie-mass o-she-ay-tay koo-da-sie): Formal form of “Thank you for (having) giving me instruction”
  • Dozo (Doe-zoe): Please go ahead
  • Eguru (Ay-goo-roo): To gauge (i.e. to gauge distance or an opponent’s ability)
  • Embu (Em-boo): Demonstration
  • Fudoshin: Calmed spirit
  • Fukaku: Personal character
  • Fushido: The way of manipulating joints
  • Fushijutsu: The art of using the body to break the enemy
  • Fushin: Stopped mind
  • Gamen (Ga-men): Point between the eyes
  • Go no sen no waza: Strike before opponent forms the intention to strike
  • Gokai: Large feeling
  • Gomen nasai (Goe-men na-sie): I’m sorry
  • Hajime (Ha-jee-mee): Start
  • Hajime no saho (Ha-jee-may noe saw-hoe): Beginning etiquette
  • Hara: Belly
  • Hayaku (Ha-ya-koo): Quickly
  • Heta (Hey-ta): Unskilful
  • Hiji (Hee-jee): Elbow
  • Hiriki (Hee-ree-kee): Elbow power
  • Hiza (Hee-za): Knee
  • Hizakozou/Kohiza: Knee
  • Ijo (Ee-joe): That’s all
  • Ji geiko (Jee-gay-koe): Free practice
  • Jinchu (Jin-chew): Center of upper lip
  • Joseki no rei (Joe-seck-ee noe ray): Bow to high section of dojo
  • Jozu (Joe-zoo): Skilful
  • Junbitaiso o hajimemasu (June-bee-tie-soe oe Ha-jee-mee-mass): Begin warm-up
  • Junbitaiso o warimasu (june-bee-tie-soe oe wa-ree-mass): Warm-up is over
  • Kae waza (Ka-ay wa-za): Substitute, or totally different technique
  • Kaimon: To open the gate
  • Kamiza no rei (Ka-mee-za noe ray): Bow to the place of the gods (Shinto Religion)
  • Kansetsu: Knee joint
  • Kasso teki (Ka-soe tay-key): Invisible opponent
  • Kata: Shoulder
  • Katate: One-handed as in “katate mochi”: One-handed grab
  • Kiri te (Key-ree tay): Cutting hand
  • Kiyotsukete (Key-oat-skay): Be careful/pay attention
  • Kobushi: Fist
  • Koshi: Hip
  • Kote (Koe-tay): Forearm
  • Kubi (Koo-bee): Neck
  • Kyojun (Kyoe-june): Basic/standard
  • Machigai (Mach-ee-gie): Mistake
  • Mate (Ma-tay): Wait
  • Mawatte (Ma-wa-tay): Turn around
  • Me (May): Eyes
  • Michinoku Ryu Bugei (Mich-E-no-koo Deu Boo-joot-soo): War Arts of Fukushima
  • Mimi (Mee-mee): Ears
  • Miru (Mee-roo): Look
  • Mo motte (Moe Moe-tay): More/bigger
  • Mune (Moo-nay): Chest
  • Nage (Na-gay): To throw
  • Nakazumi (Na-ka-zoo-mee): Center line of body
  • Nanken (Nan-ken): False sword/bad style
  • Naza (Na-za): Why
  • Nodo (No-doe): Throat
  • O tsukare sama deshita (O ska-ray sa-ma desh-ta): You have become tired (a way of complimenting the teacher for teaching well)
  • Oji waza (Oe-jee wa-za): Receiving technique
  • Omote: Palm of hand
  • Onagai shimasu (O-na-gie she-mass): Formal form of “please”
  • Onagai shimasu oshiete kudasai (O-na-gie she-mass o-she-ay-tay koo-da-sie): Formal form of “Please give me instruction”
  • Oshiete Kudasai (O-she-ay-tay Koo-da-sie): Give me instruction
  • Otagai ni rei (Oe-ta gie- nee-ray): Bow to each other
  • Owari no saho (Oe-wa-ree noe saw-hoe): Finishing etiquette
  • Randori (Ran door-ee): Free exercise
  • Reigi (Ray-jee): Etiquette in general
  • Seme te (Say-may tay): Pushing hand
  • Sensei ni rei (Sen-say nee-ray): Bow to teacher(s)
  • Shamen (Sha-men): Temple (of the head)
  • Shinkei tatakikowasu: Nerve Shattering
  • Shinkeido: Nerve way
  • Shinkeijutsu: Nerve Art
  • Shinzen ni rei (Shin-zen nee-ray): Bow to shrine
  • Shita (She-ta): Under
  • Shito kokyu (She-toe kock-kyoe): One breath
  • Shizukani (She-zoo-ka-nee): Soft/gentle
  • Shomen/uto: Front of head
  • Shomokuroku: First level license (first degree black belt)
  • Sui getsu (Soo-ee get-soo): Solar plexis
  • Suki: Opportunity, gap (as in defense or attack)
  • Sune: Shin
  • Suri ashi: Glide step
  • Suwariwaza (Sue-wha-ree-wa-za): Seated defense techniques
  • Tanden (Tan-den): Center of balance, below naval
  • Tanoshige koumori: Happy Bat (Ninjutsu technique)
  • Te (Tay): Hand
  • Te kubi: Wrist
  • Tengu-to o motte (Ten-goo-toe oe moe-tay): Get your Tengu sword
  • Tenkan: Standing movement
  • Tenkobushi(Ten-ko-boo-shee): Fist of Heaven/Heaven’s Fist/Veteran Warrior; Budokan (Boo-doe-khan): Martial Training Hall. This is not the same as dojo.
  • Togishi (Toe-gee-shee): Sword polisher
  • Ude (Oo-day): Arm
  • Ura (Oo-rah): Back of hand
  • Warui (Wa-roo-ee): Bad
  • Yame (Ya-may): Stop
  • Yarimasho ka (Ya-ree-ma-show ka): Lets’ workout
  • Yoi (Yo-ee): Ready
  • Yoko men: Side of head
  • Yubi (You-bee): Finger/Toe
  • Yukuri (You-ku-ree): Slow
  • Yuru yaka ni (You-rue Ya-ka nee): Smooth

    • For more information or to enroll please contact us at   studentservices@tenkobushi.com or call 951-757-6306.