• Aiki: Blending, harmony, unification, synchrony.
• Aikidoka: A person who practices Aikido.
• Arigato Gozaimas: Thank you very much.
• Atemi: Striking.
• Atemi waza: Striking techniques; designed to control or cause Uke to react.
• Boken: Wooden training sword, shaped like a Japanese katana.
• Bushido: Warrior’s Code.   The way of the warrior.
• Dan: Aikido grade holder, black belt rank.
• Deshi: Student, pupil, disciple.
• Do: The Way, or Path.
• Dojo: The place where the way is revealed. A place for the strengthening and refinement of spirit, mind and body.
• Gaeshi: To reverse.
• Gaeshi Waza: To reverse technique. techniques/practice.
• Gi: Training uniform.
• Gokyo: ‘Fifth Technqiue’ – a wrist and elbow control, usually against a knife.
• Hakama: Formal, wide pleated pants worn over the dogi (uniform).
• Hanmi: The relaxed triangular stance of Aikido, with one foot forward.
• Hanmi Handachi: Techniques practiced with nage sitting and uke standing.
• Hara: The center of existence.  Lower abdomen, physical and spiritual center.
• Ikkyo: ‘First Technique’, an arm control.
• Irimi: Entering, moving into and through the line of attack.
• Jiyu: Freestyle
• Jiyu Waza: Freestyle techniques/practice.
• Jo: Short staff.
• Jo dori: Techniques of staff taking.
• Kaiten: To revolve or rotate.
• Kaitennage: ‘Wheel throw’ – pressing uke’s arm behind and over their back.
• Kamae: Natural ‘readiness’ stance. With a weapon: Jodan kamae – high position; Chudan kamae- middle position; Gedan kamae – lower position.
• Kata: Shoulder.   Also means ‘form’ practice of pre-arranged exercises(s).
• Kata dori: Shoulder grab.
• Katate dori: Wrist grab.
• Katate dori ryote mochi: Grabbing your partner’s wrist with both hands.
• Keiko: Study or practice, to refine our spirit.
• Ki: The vital force of the body; Universal Energy; a stream or flow of energy.
• Kohai: Junior student. Those who begin their study of Aikido after you.
• Kiai: A piercing scream or cry with practical and psychological value meaning – “Meeting of the Spirits”.
• Kokyu: The power of breath, renewal of life force. Also, timing or rhythm.
• Kokyu Tanden Ho: Paired, two-hand grab sitting exercise.
• Kosa dori: Cross hand grab.
• Koshi: Hips, waist (also spelled Goshi).
• Koshi Nage: ‘Hip Throw’.
• Kotaegaeshi: ‘Returning Wrist’ – a wrist-turning throw to the rear.
• Kubi: Neck.
• Kubi shime: A choke hold.
• Kumi Jo: Paired jo practice.
• Kumi Tachi: Paired sword practice.
• Kyu: Aikido rank, class.  A mudansha or undergraduate.
• Maai: Distance between uke and nage, meaning “harmony of space.”
• Munetsuki: A straight punch to the chest or solar plexus.
• Men: Face, head.
• Nage: A throw. One who throws.
• Nikkyo: ‘Second Techqnique’ – a wrist joint-lock control.
• Obi: Belt.
• Omote: To the front.
• O Sensei: Great teacher – the title used for the Founder of Aikido.
• Randori: Free technique against multiple attack.
• Rei: To bow.
• Ryote dori: Grabbing both wrists.
• Ryokata dori: Grabbing both shoulders.
• Sankyo: ‘Third Technique’, a wrist-joint twisting technique.
• Sempai: Senior student: Those who began their study of Aikido before you.
• Seiza: Formal sitting position.
• Sensei: Teacher, one who gives guidance along the way.
• Shiho: Four directions.
• Senshin: A purified heart and spirit; enlightened attitude
• Shihonage: ‘Four corner throw’ – a wrist / elbow lock, throw, and pin.
• Shikko: Knee walking exercise; trains student to move from the tanden.
• Shodan: Holder of the first grade black belt.
• Shomen: The place housing the picture of O Sensei and the spirit of Aikido.
• Shomenuchi: Downward strike or cut to the top of the head.
• Shomentsuki: Thrust / punch between the eyes.
• Shinai: Split bamboo practice sword.
• Shugyo: The daily work to refine and purify the quality of life.
• Suburi: A single movement using the ken or jo, done as a solo practice.
• Sumi O-Toshi: ‘Corner Throw’, sometimes a locked-elbow throw.
• Sutemi: A hard fall…literally meaning to throw or sacrifice the body.
• Suwariwaza: Kneeling techniques.
• Tachi: Japanese sword.
• Tachi dori: Techniques of sword taking.
• Taijutsu: Empty handed techniques.
• Tai no henko: Basic blending practice.
• Tanden: The hara, the center of mass, located about where the belt is tied.
• Tanto: Knife. In Aikido, we use a wooden tanto for training.
• Tanto dori: Techniques of knife taking.
• Te: Hand.
• Tegatana: Hand blade. Sword edge of the hand.
• Tenkan: Pivoting, turning to dissipate force.
• Tenchi: Ten=heaven, chi=earth. A position of the hands, one up and one down.
• Tenchinage: ‘Heaven and Earth throw’
• Tsuki: Thrust.
• Uke: One who receives. The person being thrown.
• Ukemi: Techniques of receiving, falling and protecting yourself. The art of falling away from harm.
• Ushiro: Attacking from the back, behind, rear.
• Ura: To the rear.
• Waza: Techniques.
• Yokomenuchi: A diagonal cut or strike.
• Yonkyo: ‘Fourth Technique’ – a wrist pressure point technique.
• Yudansha: Black belt grade holder(s).
• Zanshin: Awareness of surroundings at all times (subconsciously).