Aikido Glossary

Welcome to our Aikido glossary. Here you’ll find definitions of common Aikido and Daito Ryu related terms to help you understand the language of our practice.

Fundamental Movements & Body Principles

Irimi（入り身）
Entering movement. Stepping directly into an attack to take the opponent’s space and balance.

Tenkan（転換）
Turning movement. Pivoting to redirect an attack rather than meeting it head-on.

Tai-sabaki（体捌き）
Body management. The coordinated use of footwork, posture, and timing to avoid force and gain advantage.

Tai-no-henkō（体の変更）
Body turning or body change. Often this is a basic blending exercise emphasizing connection.

Kuzushi（崩し）
Breaking balance. Creating instability in the opponent before applying technique.

Ma-ai（間合い）
Proper distance and timing between partners.

Chūshin（中心）
Center. The physical and mental center of balance and power.

Shisei（姿勢）
Posture. Proper alignment of the body, essential for stability and power.

Hyōshi（拍子）
Rhythm or timing. The cadence of movement and action.

Breath, Power & Connection

Kokyū（呼吸）
Breath. Refers both to breathing and to coordinated whole-body power.

Kokyū-ryoku（呼吸力）
Breath power. Unified power generated through breath, posture, and timing.

Kokyū-hō（呼吸法）
Breathing methods. This can either refer to breathing exercises or co-ordiation of breath and movement, or as an metaphor.
In the metaphorical sense, one executes techniques as naturally as breathing.

Kokyū-nage（呼吸投げ）
Breath throws. Throws executed primarily through timing and connection rather than leverage. Often synonymous with aiki-nage.
Throws done via kokyū-hō.

Awase（合わせ）
Blending. Harmonizing with the opponent’s movement and intent.

Aiki-age（合気上げ）
Aiki raising. Lifting or unbalancing using aiki principles.

Aiki-sage（合気下げ）
Aiki lowering. Controlling or unbalancing downward using aiki principles.

Te-gatana（手刀）
“Hand blade.” Using the hand as a sword (applying sword principles to jujutsu/aikido).

Roles in Practice

Uke（受け）
The receiver of the technique; the one who attacks and takes ukemi.

Nage（投げ）
The one who throws or executes the technique.

Shite（仕手）
The performer of the technique (more classical term).

Tori（取り）
"Taker." This can be shite or uke depending on context. If it is the person who is grabbing shite (taking the hands for example), then tori is receiver. However, if the performer is taking a weapon, then he/she is tori. More common of older jujutsu styles.

Training Postures & Forms

Tachi-waza（立ち技）
Standing techniques.

Suwari-waza（座り技）
Techniques performed from kneeling.

Hanmi-handachi（半身半立ち）
Techniques where nage is kneeling and uke is standing.

Hanmi（半身）
Half-body stance.

Ai-hanmi（合半身）
Matching stance; both partners lead with the same foot.

Gyaku-hanmi（逆半身）
Opposite stance; partners lead with opposite feet.

Shikkō（膝行）
Knee walking.

Seiza（正座）
Formal kneeling posture.

Kiza (跪坐)
A kneeling posture where you sit back on the balls of the feet with the toes tucked under, heels raised — similar to seiza, but not with the tops of the feet flat.

Sonkyō（蹲踞）
A fully squatted poster on the balls of the feet. Not really an aikido posture, but perhaps transitional. Common in sumo, kendo and some schools of weapons.

Shumoku-ashi（撞木足）
“Bell-hammer foot.” Describes the feet position of hanmi stance. The feet are at a right angle

Renōji-dachi（レの字立ち）
Also describes the feet position of hanmi stance like the character "レ".

Techniques & Technique Categories

Waza（技）
Technique.

Nage-waza（投げ技）
Throwing techniques.

Osae-waza（抑え技）
Pinning techniques.

Katame-waza（固め技）
Controlling or locking techniques.

Kansetsu-waza（関節技）
Joint techniques.

Kaeshi-waza（返し技）
Reversal techniques.

Nagare-waza（流れ技）
Flowing techniques executed continuously.

Core Aikidō Techniques

Ikkyo / Nikyo / Sankyo / Gokyo（一教・二教・三教・五教）
First, second, third, fourth and fifth "teaching." Foundational control techniques or Aikido.

Ikkajō / Nikajō / Sankajō / Gokajō（一ヶ条・二ヶ条・三ヶ条・五ヶ条）
First, second, third, fourth and fifth "article." Equivalent to Ikkyo / Nikyo / Sankyo / Gokyo.
Takeda Sokaku was using this naming convention by the 1910's. Teaching in seminar style, each "article" had roughly 30 variations. This likely influenced Ueshiba's later teaching methods.
Yoshinkan Aikido uses this "kajō" naming convention rather than the "-kyo" terminology.
It is important to note that Takeda Tokimune of the Daitokan categorized their Daito Ryu curriculum. It uses the "kajo" terminology, but each is a different class based no other definitions so "ikkajō" is no longer associated with and elbow press and so on.

Kote-gaeshi（小手返し）
Wrist-turning throw.

Shihō-nage（四方投げ）
Four-direction throw.

Irimi-nage（入り身投げ）
Entering throw.

Jūji-nage（十字投げ）
Cross-shaped throw.

Kaiten-nage（回転投げ）
Rotary throw.

Attacks & Grabs

Shōmen-uchi（正面打ち）
Strike to the front of the head.

Yokomen-uchi（横面打ち）
Diagonal strike to the side of the head.

Tsuki（突き）
Thrusting attack.

Katate-tori（片手取り）
Single-hand grab.

Kosa-tori（交差取り）
Cross-hand grab.

Kata-tori（肩取り）
Shoulder grab.

Sode-tori（袖取り）
Sleeve grab.

Ryō-kata-tori（両肩取り）
Both shoulders grabbed.

Ryō-te-tori（両手取り）
Both hands grabbed.

Morote-tori（諸手取り）
Two-hand grab on one arm.

Ushiro-kata-tori（後ろ肩取り）
Rear shoulder grab.

Ushiro-morote-tori（後ろ諸手取り）
Rear two-hand grab.

Ukemi & Safety

Ukemi（受身）
Receiving techniques safely; the art of falling.

Weapons-Related Practice

Tantō-dori（短刀取り）
Knife-taking techniques.

Tachi-dori（太刀取り）
Sword-taking techniques.

Jō-dori（杖取り）
Staff-taking techniques.

Terminology & Training Culture

Keiko（稽古）
Training or practice.

Kata（形）
Form or prescribed pattern of movement.

Atemi（当身）
Striking to disrupt balance or intent.

Shūchū-ryoku（集中力）
Concentration or focused intent.

Names of Arts

Aikidō（合気道）
The Way of Harmonizing Energy.

Aikibudō（合気武道）
Prior to using the term "Aikido," Ueshiba referred to his art as "Aikibudo."
Some schools - namely those descending from Minoru Mochizuki (Yoseikan Aikido) a direct student of Ueshiba and master of numerous other arts - use the term "Aikibudo" to differentiate themselves.
Takeda Tokimune referred to his art as "Daito Ryu Aikibudo" - the distinction from "Daito Ryu Aikijujutsu" being the inclusion of Ono-ha Itto Ryu Kenjutsu" and other weapons.

Aiki-jūjutsu（合気柔術）
Jūjutsu systems based on aiki principles.