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Kendo Terms
- long vowels are noted in this section (example:
kendō), but for simplicity are not noted in the
explanatory sections (example: About Kendo)
- descriptions in quotes are spoken phrases or commands
- aisatsu
- greeting; courtesy exchanged when meeting another person,
see rei-gi
- arigatō gozaimashita
- "Thank you very much"
- ashi-sabaki
- footwork
- ato-geiko
- literally after practice, usually a second practice session
for advanced kenshi following a primary practice session which
stresses kihon
- bōgu
- kendo armor consisting of men, kote, do, and tare
- bokken
- wooden sword, primarily used for kendo kata
- bokutō
- same as bokken
- chaku-sō
- the manner of wearing keikogi, hakama, and bogu,
see basic concepts
- chakuza
- command to sit down on the floor from a standing position
- chūdan-no-kamae
- basic kamae, with the kensen pointed at the opponent's throat,
see basic concepts
- chūken
- middle player in a team match
- (counting 1,2,3, ... ,10)
- ichi, ni, san, shi, go, roku, shichi, hachi, ku, jyu
- dan
- ranking system for advanced levels (1=lowest, 10=highest);
equivalent to black belt in other martial arts
- datotsu
- striking and thrusting. A valid point is referred to as
yuko datotsu.
- datotsu-bu
- 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.
- datotsu-bui
- the correct striking or thrusting zones of the kendo-gu
(protective gear), refers to the men, kote, do, and tsuki areas
- datotsu-no-kikai
- chance of strike
- dō
- kendo armor to protect the trunk and chest
- dō ari
- "do" (awarding of the do point in a match)
- enchō
- match overtime period
- fukushin
- sub-referees in a match
- fukushō
- second to last player in a team match
- furi-kaburi
- big movement swing of the shinai above one's head
- fusenshō
- a match win by default, due to the opponent's absence or forfeit
- gōgi
- referee's conference during a match, held in the center of
the court
- hachimaki
- thin cotton towel worn on the head under the men
- hai
- "yes" (used to answer when called)
- hajime
- "begin"
- hakama
- kendo clothing worn on the lower part of the body, a long
divided skirt-like trousers
- hansoku
- match foul, results in one half-point against the offending player
- hansoku ikkai
- "first hansoku"
- hansoku nikai, ippon ari
- "second hansoku, one point" (awarded to the opponent of the
offending player)
- hantei
- referees' decision of the winner of a match
- hasuji
- cutting path of the sword (angle of cut)
- haya-suburi
- fast suburi, one count per backward step plus foward strike
- hikiwake
- match draw
- hiraki-ashi
- footwork used when the body is moving diagonally (front
foot is same side as forward shoulder)
- igi
- formal protest in a match, registered by a team manager
- ippon gachi
- a match decided by one point, due to time running out in
sanbon-shobu
- ippon shōbu
- one point match (first person to score wins)
- issoku-ittō-no-maai
- distance from which one can strike in one step
- jihō
- second player in a team match
- jiyū-keiko
- free practice
- jūdan-no-kamae
- kamae with the shinai above the head, with the left hand above
the forehead about one fist away
- jōgai
- stepping out of bounds (this is a hansoku)
- kachinuki
- a method of conducting matches in which the winner remains
and keeps fighting until defeated
- kaishi-sen
- starting line in the court
- kakari-geiko
- attack practice
- kamae
- basic stance; ready position
- kamae-te
- command to assume kamae
- kantoku
- team manager
- keiko
- practice, training
- keiko-gi
- kendo clothing worn on the upper part of the body, a thick
jacket-like shirt
- kendō
- the way of the sword; training the mind, body, and character
through one-one-one striking practice using the shinai while
wearing bogu
- kensen
- the tip of the shinai
- kenshi
- kendoist
- ki-o-tsuke
- "attention"
- kiai
- a shout or yell to show spirit
- kiai-o-dashite
- "More kiai!"
- kigurai
- confidence, presence, bearing
- kihon
- basics
- kihon-dōsa
- basic exercises, including uchi-kata and suburi
- kihon-shiai
- tournament in which kihon is judged. Usually includes rei-ho,
kiri-kaeshi, and basic uchikomi.
See shiai.
- kiri-kaeshi
- 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,
see shiai
- kiritsu
- "stand up"
- kōdansha
- one with a high dan rank, typically 5th dan (godan) or higher
- kokyū
- breathing
- kōtai
- change places, alternate
- kote
- kendo armor used to proect the hand and forearm
- kote ari
- "kote" (awarding of the kote point in a match)
- kumiawase
- tournament match-ups
- kyū
- ranking system for beginning levels (6=lowest, 1=highest);
equivalent to white and colored belts in other martial arts
- ma-ai
- distance between opponents
- massugu
- straight, linear
- mawari-geiko
- rotation keiko
- mejirushi
- red or white tag tied to the crossed do strings on the back,
used to distinguish the players in a match
- men
- kendo armor to protect the face, head, and shoulders
- men ari
- "men" (awarding of the men point in a match)
- 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)
- men-o-tore
- "take off the men"
- men-o-tsuke
- "put on the men"
- metsuke
- use of the eyes to see the opponent,
see basic concepts
- mokusō
- meditation performed in the seiza position,
see basic concepts
- monouchi
- the region of the shinai most effective for striking,
located between the tip and the nakayui
- motodachi
- person being struck to provide instruction, for example in
uchikomi-geiko, kakari-geiko, or kihon shiai
- nakayui
- thin strip of leather tied around the shinai about one third
down from the tip
- nafuda
- name tag worn on the center of the tare
- naore
- command to stop mokuso
- nihon me
- "Second point" (continues sanbon-shobu after one player has
scored the first point of the match)
- nuke-tō
- "draw the sword (shinai)"
- okuri-ashi
- 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,
see basic concepts
- onegai shimasu
- "I request the favor (of a practice)" (said when beginning
keiko with a more senior kenshi)
- osame-tō
- "return the sword (shinai)"
- rei
- bow
- rei-gi
- matters of etiquette,
see rei-gi
- rei-hō
- doctrines of etiquette,
see basic concepts
and shiai
- ritsu-rei
- standing bow
- sanbon shōbu
- three point match (first person to score two points wins)
- sage-tō
- 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.
- sayū-men
- the right and left striking zones of the men
- seiretsu
- "make a line"
- seiza
- seated attention position (literally correct sitting),
see basic concepts
- seme
- pressure applied to one's opponent
- senpō
- first player in a team match
- sensei
- instructor, usually with rank 4th dan (yondan) or higher
- shiai
- match,
see shiai
- shiai-geiko
- match practice.
At Norwalk Dojo, includes
kihon-shiai and regular
shiai.
- shiai-jikan
- match time limit
- shiai-jō
- court
- shinai
- bamboo sword used in kendo
- shinai-otoshi
- losing control of the shinai (this is a hansoku)
- shin-kokyū
- deep breathing exercise
- shinpan
- judge; referee
- shinpan-chō
- head judge
- shinpan-shunin
- court judge
- shinsa
- promotional examination
- shisei
- posture,
see basic concepts
- shizentai
- natural standing position,
see basic concepts
- shōbu
- "Match" (continues sanbon shobu after each player has one point)
- shōbu ari
- "Match done" (announces the end of the match)
- shōmen
- the side of the dojo or hall farthest from the main entrance,
the side having the highest place of honor
- shōmen-uchi
- a strike to the center of the men
- shūgō
- gathering, meeting
- shushin
- chief referee (makes the match pronouncements)
- shusseki-o-torimasu
- "taking roll call"
- sogo-no-rei
- ritsu-rei to the opponent. The angle is about 15 degrees,
and eye contact is maintained.
- sonkyo
- the crouching position in which begins and ends each bout
- suburi
- basic exercise which simulates striking the men repeatedly,
performed without an opponent
- suburi-ikkyodo
- one-count suburi (alternate striking forward and backward
on each count)
- suburi-nikyodo
- two-count suburi (raise the shinai on the odd count; strike
on the even count, alternating the going forward and backward
and each strike)
- suigetsu
- solar plexus
- suriage
- deflecting the opponent's shinai using a circular motion
- suri-ashi
- footwork in which the feet do not lose contact with the floor,
see basic concepts
- taiatari
- hitting with the body
- taikai
- tournament
- taishō
- last player in a team match (captain)
- tai-to
- holding the shinai at the left hip, ready to draw. The
tsuka-gashira should be in front of the center of the body.
- tanden
- a point located slightly below the navel in the center of the
lower abdomen, considered to be the body's center of mass and,
in oriental medicine, the source of health, vitality and ki-energy
- tare
- kendo armor to protect the waist, groin, and upper legs
- te-no-uchi
- the usage of the hands to tighten/loosen the grip on the
shinai or adjusting the balance between the hands when striking
or responding
- tenugui
- same as hachimaki
- tsuba
- circular guard on the shinai
- tsuba-zeriai
- the position in which the opponents are close to each other with
tsuba or fists together
- tsuka
- the handle of the shinai
- tsuka-gashira
- the very end (bottom) of the tsuka
- tsuki
- flap on the men which protects the throat
- tsuki ari
- "tsuki" (awarding of the tsuki point)
- tsuru
- the string which holds the shinai together
- uchikomi-geiko
- practice striking the basic points on the motodachi
- wakare
- during keiko: "dismissed" (signals end of session)
during shiai: "separate" (timer does not stop)
- waza
- technique,
see advanced concepts
- yame
- "stop"
- yonkyū ika wakare
- "4th kyu and below, dismissed"
- yudansha
- kendoist with a rank of 1st dan (shodan) or higher
- yūkō datotsu
- valid point,
see shiai
- zanshin
- mental and physical presence of spirit, especially after
completing an attack
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