Japanese	English
ashi sabaki	footwork
chakuza	command to sit down on the floor from a standing position
dan	ranking system for advanced levels (1=lowest, 10=highest); equivalent to black belt in other martial arts
datotsu no kikai	chance of strike
ippon shoubu	one point match (first person to score wins)
jiyuu keiko	free practice
hansoku	foul
hantei	referees' decision as to the winner of a match
kakari geiko	attack practice
kamae	basic stance or posture
kata	standardized series of predetermined attacks and responses
keiko	practice
kensen	presence and power in the tip of the shinai
kenshi	kendoist
kiai	a shout or yell
kigurai	poise, confidence
kihon	basics
kime	striking with decisiveness and conviction
kirikaeshi	basic exercise in which the sides of the men are struck repeatedly
koudansha	kendoists with rank 5th dan (godan) or higher
kyuu	ranking system for beginning levels (6=lowest, 1=highest); equivalent to white and colored belts in other martial arts
maai	distance between one and one's opponent
rei	bow
sanbon shoubu	three point match (first person to score two points wins)
seiza	seated attention position (literally "correct sitting"), with shins and tops of the feet on the floor and knees together
seme	pressure applied to one's opponent
sensei	instructor
shiai	match
shinpan	referee
shisei	posture
sonkyo	the crouching position in which begins and ends each bout
suburi	basic exercise which simulates striking the men repeatedly, performed without bogu or an opponent
tai atari	hitting with the body
taikai	tournament
tai sabaki	body movement
tsuba zeriai	situation in which the players are close together, "tsuba to tsuba
tsuki	the thrust target; the only point in kendo which is scored with a thrust rather than a strike
yuudansha	kendoist with a rank of 1st dan (shodan) or higher
yuukou datotsu	valid point
zanshin	mental and physical alertness, especially after completing an attack