Terminology (Japanese)
Useful Phrases at the Start of Class:
| kiotsuke | attention |
| kei to | sword to ready position |
| seiza | kneeling down/sitting |
| mokuso | meditate |
| yame | stop |
| sho men ni | face towards the front |
| sensei | instructor |
| sensei ni | face towards teachers |
| sempai | senior student |
| rei | bow |
| katana ni taishite | bow to the sword |
| otagai ni rei | bow to fellow students |
Useful Phrases During Class:
| onegai shimasu | Please teach me. |
| domo arigato gozaimashita | Thank you. |
| san kyo | squat down with sword in ready position |
| nuke to | draw the sword |
| osame toh | san kyo and put away the sword |
| hajime | start |
| kote | wrist |
| men | forehead |
| do | waist |
| tsuki | throat |
| gi | uniform top or shirt |
| obi | belt |
| sageo | cord to secure the saya to the obi |
| hakama | uniform bottom or trousers |
| shinai | bamboo sword |
| bokuto or bokken | wooden sword |
| ki | spirit |
| kiai | shout |
| ken or toh | sword |
| tai | body |
| kamae | on guard or ready |
| chudan no kamae | middle ready position |
| jo dan no kamae | upper ready position |
| gedan no kamae | lower ready position |
| hai | yes |
| kata | series of movements/forms |
| koryu | older sword art |
| tatehiza | sitting position on left foot |
| te-no-uchi | wringing of fingers |
| kendoka | one who practices kendo |
| kenshi | swordsmen |
| nukitsuke |
(new-kit-skay) Initial horizontal cut |
- Other Commands:
| chakuza | sit down |
| batto | draw your sword |
| noto | sheath your sword |
| keiko owari | practice is over |
Kendo Glossary:
Visit the Wisconsin Kendo Club for more kendo terminology.
Basic Counting:
|
NUMBERS |
BLACK BELT RANKS |
| ONE - ICHI (ee-chee) | Sho-Dan / 1st Degree |
| TWO - NI (knee) | Ni-Dan / 2nd |
| THREE - SAN (saan) | San-Dan / 3rd |
| FOUR - SHI (chee) | Yon-Don / 4th |
| FIVE - GO (go) | Go-Dan / 5th |
| SIX - ROKU (row-koo) | Roku-Dan / 6th |
| SEVEN - SHICHI (she-chee) | Shichi-Dan / 7th |
| EIGHT - HACHI (ha-chee) | Hachi-Dan / 8th |
| NINE - KU (koo) | Ku-Dan / 9th |
| TEN - JU (joo) | Ju-Dan / 10th |
| HUNDRED - HYAKU |
Counting to 100 in Japanese:
| Add | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| to 0 | Zero | Ichi | Ni | San | Yon | Go | Roku | Nana | Hachi | Kyuu |
| to 10 | Juu | JuuIchi | JuuNi | JuuSan | JuuYon | JuuGo | JuuRoku | JuuNana | JuuHachi | JuuKyuu |
| to 20 | NiJuu | NiJuuIchi | NiJuuNi | NiJuuSan | NiJuuYon | NiJuuGo | NiJuuRoku | NiJuuNana | NiJuuHachi | NiJuuKyuu |
| to 30 | SanJuu | SanJuuIchi | SanJuuNi | SanJuuSan | SanJuuYon | SanJuuGo | SanJuuRoku | SanJuuNana | SanJuuHachi | SanJuuKyuu |
| to 40 | YonJuu | YonJuuIchi | YonJuuNi | YonJuuSan | YonJuuYon | YonJuuGo | YonJuuRoku | YonJuuNana | YonJuuHachi | YonJuuKyuu |
| to 50 | GoJuu | GoJuuIchi | GoJuuNi | GoJuuSan | GoJuuYon | GoJuuGo | GoJuuRoku | GoJuuNana | GoJuuHachi | GoJuuKyuu |
| to 60 | RokuJuu | RokuJuuIchi | RokuJuuNi | RokuJuuSan | RokuJuuYon | RokuJuuGo | RokuJuuRoku | RokuJuuNana | RokuJuuHachi | RokuJuuKyuu |
| to 70 | NanaJuu | NanaJuuIchi | NanaJuuNi | NanaJuuSan | NanaJuuYon | NanaJuuGo | NanaJuuRoku | NanaJuuNana | NanaJuuHachi | NanaJuuKyuu |
| to 80 | HachiJuu | HachiJuuIchi | HachiJuuNi | HachiJuuSan | HachiJuuYon | HachiJuuGo | HachiJuuRoku | HachiJuuNana | HachiJuuHachi | HachiJuuKyuu |
| to 90 | KyuuJuu | KyuuJuuIchi | KyuuJuuNi | KyuuJuuSan | KyuuJuuYon | KyuuJuuGo | KyuuJuuRoku | KyuuJuuNana | KyuuJuuHachi | KyuuJuuKyuu |
Sword Terminology:
Sword furnishings (tsuba, menuki) often have
special meanings.