On this page, you shall find every translation you’ll need for terminology used within Impulse Martial Arts curriculum. If something is missing, try checking out the Ju-Jutsu Translation, Kempo Translation, or Aikido Translation, Glossary Pages.
Iai-Jutsu = Sword Draw Art-of-War
Ken-Jutsu = Sword Art-of-War
| Hidari – Left | Tsugi Ashi – Shuffle Step |
| Migi – Right | Okuri Ashi – Following Foot |
| Ushiro – Back; Rear | Tora Tsuku – “Tiger Step”; to take root |
| Mae – Front; Forward | Mikazuki Ashi – Crescent Step |
| Gyaku – Reverse | Ayumi Ashi – Normal walking |
| Jodan – Upper | Noto – Sheathing |
| Chudan – Middle | Suburi – Cutting |
| Gedan – Lower | Sasse – Supporting |
| Tate – Vertical | Chiburi – De-Blooding |
| Yame – Stop | Tenouchi – Sword Gripping and Handling |
| Hajime – Begin | Te Moto – Proper Hand Placement |
| Dozo – To allow | Gyaku ni Tsukamu – Reverse Handle Grab |
| Seiza – Seated Position | Datto – To remove the sword from the obi |
| Hizamazuku – Kneeling | Taito – Seating of the Sword |
| Shikko Waza – Knee Walking | Ma-ai – Proper Distancing |
| Oyo – Various applications of kata | Tobi – Flying or Jumping |
| Tatsu – Stand | Reishiki – Bowing Etiquette |
| Sageo Musubi – Katana Cord Tying | To-rei – Formal bow to sword |
| Nodo – Throat | Za-rei – Formal bow from kneeling or sitting |
| Suwari – Sit down; sitting | Ritsu-rei – A Standing Bow |
| Waki – Side; Armpit | Sonkyo – Crouching |
| Uke – To receive; block | Han-Sonkyo – Half-crouch |
| Oshi-te – Pushing hand | Nuki-Dashi – Sword drawing; “Batto-ho” |
| Kihi-te – Pulling hand | Katate Uchi – One-handed strike |
| Tanto – Knife | Katate Tsuki – One-handed thrust |
| Bokken – Wooden sword | Morote Tsuki – Two-handed thrust |
| Suburito – Heavy wooden sword | Ato-uchi – Feint; delay of strike |
| Tai Sabaki – Body turn or repositioning | Tenkan – Body pivot of 180° |
| Jiyu Waza – Free form; practice without thought | Happogiri – Eight-direction cutting exercise |
| Dori – Take; Grab | Tsukamu – Grabbing; Grasping |
Uchi Waza (Striking)
| Shomen Uchi – Top of Head Cut | Yokomen Uchi – Side of Head Cut |
| Kubi Uchi – Neck Cut (Migi Kesa Giri) | Gyaku Yokomen Uchi – Reverse Side of Head Cut |
| Gyaku Kubi Uchi – Reverse Neck Cut (Hidari Kesa Giri) | Ashi Uchi – Leg Cut |
| Age Uchi – Rising Cut (Migi Joho Giri) | Tsuka Ate – Sword Handle Strike |
| Gyaku Age Uchi – Reverse Rising Cut (Hidari Joho Giri) | Kashira Uchi – Kashira Strike |
| Kiri Age – Vertical Cut | Sasse Uchi – Supporting Cut |
| Tomoe Uchi – Stomach Cut | Mae Tsuki – Front Thrust |
| Gyaku Tomoe Uchi – Reverse Stomach Cut | Yoko Tsuki – Side Thrust |
| Mune Uchi – Breast Cut | Ushiro Tsuki – Rear Thrust |
| Gyaku Mune Uchi – Reverse Breast Cut |
Batto-Ho (Sword Drawing)
| Nuki-Dashi Age – Rising draw |
| Nuki-Dashi Tomoe – Stomach Draw |
| Nuki-Dashi Tate – Vertical Draw |
| Nuki-Dashi Mae – Front Draw |
| Nuki-Dashi Ushiro – Rear Draw |
Nuki-Dashi Uke (Sword Draw Blocks)
| Te Osae Uke – Hand Pressing Block |
| Morote Osae Uke – Two-Hand Pressing Block |
| Ude Osae Uke – Arm Pressing Block |
| Tegatana Uke – Knife Hand Block |
| Morote Tegatana Uke – Double Knife Hand Block |
| Tsuka Uke – Handle Block |
Tachi (Stances)
| Renoji Dachi – “L” Stance |
| Jigatai Dachi – Defensive Stance |
| Neko Ashi Dachi – Cat Foot Stance |
| Zenkutsu Dachi – Locked Leg Stance |
| Jigohantai Dachi – Front Defensive Stance |
| Shizentai Dachi – Natural Stance |
| Heisoku Dachi – Closed-Leg Stance |
| Kosa Dachi – Crossed-Leg Stance |
| Kiba Dachi – Horse Stance |
| Kokutsu Dachi – Back Stance; Reverse Locked Leg |
Katana Uke (Sword Blocks)
| Chuden Uke – Middle Level Block (Yoko Uke) |
| Joden Uke – Upper Block (Uke Negashi) |
| Gyaku Jodan Uke – Reverse Upper Block |
| Gedan Uke – Lower Block (Ashi Uke) |
| Tsuba Uke – Hand-Guard Block |
Noto Waza (Sheathing)
| Tate Noto – Vertical Sheath |
| Tomoe Noto – Horizontal Stomach Sheath |
| Gyaku Noto – Reverse Grip Sheath |
Kamae (Guards)
| Hasso-no-kamae – Eight Directions Guard |
| Chudan-no-kamae – Middle Level Guard |
| Jodan-no-kamae – Upper Lever Guard |
| Gedan-no-kamae – Lower Level Guard |
| Waki-no-kamae – Side Guard |
| Gyaku Waki-no-kamae – Reverse Side Guard |
Ukemi-Waza (Falling)
| Mae Zempo Kaiten – Front Roll |
| Ushiro Zempo Kaiten – Back Roll |
| Yoko Chugeri – Side High Breakfall |
| Yoko Ukemi – Side Fall |
| Mae Ukemi – Front Fall |
Misc. Definitions
| Bo-gyo Waza – Countering attacks with evasion or blocking |
| Tachi Dori – Disarming, controlling, and/or throwing an opponent armed with a sword |
| Muto Dori – Empty hand techniques versus an armed opponent |
| Koiguchi-o-kiru – Pressing the tsuba of a katana with the left thumb preparing the Katana for drawing |
| Saya-biki – Pulling the scabbard during drawing of the sword |
| De-bana – The very moment that an intended strikes begins which provides an opportunity for counter-attack |
| Oi-uchi – To strike an opponent who is in retreat |
| Sasoi – A lure or invitation; offering the provocation to attack |
| Suri-age – Defense against an attack by deflecting an opponent’s weapon to the left or right in an upward motion |
| Hiki Waza – Techniques performed while stepping back |
| Nito Waza – Practice or competition with two swords |
| Nito-no-kamae – A defensive guard in which two swords are wielded |
| Shinken – “Live” or sharp blade |
| Iaito – Practice blade; unsharpened katana |
| Wakizashi – Short sword ranging from 12-24 inches; when worn alongside the katana, it is called “daisho” |
| Kiriotoshi – Vertical forward dropping cut; deflecting and cutting down simultaneously |
| Nuki-uchi – Drawing and Cutting in the same stroke |
| Suwari Waza – Practice performed while beginning in seiza or hizamazuku |
| Saho – Dojo etiquette; how to present in the dojo including but not limited to reishiki, cleanliness, safety, etc. |
| Yin & Yo – Opposing forces; “ying&yang” in Chinese Tsukuri – Destroying balance or fitting action for attack |
| Kozukao-koga – Pockets on saya for holding utility knife or skewers |
| Sori – Curve of the sword |
| Kensen / Ken-saki – Point of the sword |
| Sageru – Lowering the tip of the sword |
| Sagaru – Retreat or back away from an attack |
| Seigan-no-kamae – “Right Posture”; alternative term for Chudan-no-kamae |
| Hira-kamae – “Flat stance”; a neutral posture with katana and left extended laterally, thus inviting an opponent to attack |
| Oyo – Various applications of kata |
| Nuke-to – Command to draw your sword |
| Osame-to – Command to put away / sheathe sword |
| Oshi-giri – Cutting by pushing cutting edge of sword forward (like slicing a turkey by pushing forward with knife) |
| Odachi / O Tachi – Long sword |
| Maki Kaeshi – Turning to deflect an attack |
| Kyusho – Vital areas of body; areas most vulnerable to attack, especially while wearing armor |
| Hakama – Traditional pleated skirt or pants worn by Japanese upper-class citizens or warriors |
| Koshiita – Stiffener in the back of a hakama |
| Himo – Straps of a hakama, ushiro and mae |
| Yosehida – Pleats of hakama |
| Kiai Tari – Threatening to thrust the sword |
| Giri – The “right” reason for doing something; term used by ronin when avenging a fallen companion |
| Tenouchi – Sword Gripping and Handling |
| Anza – Sitting with legs crossed in front; “Indian-style” sitting |
| Kiza – Seiza while sitting on heals with balls of feet on the floor instead of top of feet |
| Ai Uchi – Simultaneous vital strikes by each person; “mutual death” |
| Uke Negashi – “Flowing Reception”; flow like water; “watershed block” performed as Joden Uke |
| Okinawan Weapons – Tools utilized by farmers to defend against the samurai (Sai, Tonfa, Bo, Kama, Nunchaku) |
| Mushin – “Empty mind”. A calmed mind free of anger, fear, ego, etc; a mind without intention, plan, or direction |
| Fudoshin – Immovable Mind |
| Go No Sen – Attacking after the opponent attacks |
| Sen Sen No Sen – Taking initiative; attacking before the opponent attacks |
| Zanshin – State of relaxed alertness, awareness |
| Shoshin – Beginner’s mind; an attitude of openness, eagerness, and lack of preconceptions when studying a subject, even when studying at an advanced level, just as a beginner would |