Below are the most common terms you will come across in an Aikido class.
Strikes & Grabs
| GRABS | |
| Hiji-dori | Elbow grab |
| Kata-dori | Shoulder grab. One hand grab to the shoulder. Your opponent attacks by seizing your shoulder. |
| Katate-dori | One hand grab to wrist. Your opponent attacks by seizing one of your arms. |
| Morote-dori | Attack holding one wrist/forearm with both hands |
| Ryote-dori | Both hands grabbed by both hands |
| Ushiro Eri-dori | Collar grab from behind |
| Ushiro Hiji-dori | Elbows grabbed from the rear |
| Ushiro Kube-shime | Choking with one hand around the neck from the rear, usually while holding one wrist with the free hand |
| Ushiro Ryo-kata-dori | Both shoulders grabbed from behind |
| Ushiro Ryote-dori | Both wrists grabbed from behind |
| Ushiro-dori | Bear hug from behind |
| BASIC STRIKES | |
| Shomen-uchi | Strike to the top front of the head |
| Tsuki | Thrust, punch |
| Yokomen-uchi | Strike to the side of the head |
Immobilizations
| Ikkyo | First hold. Wrist and elbow control |
| Nikkyo | Second hold. Bend wrist |
| Sankyo | Third hold. Twist wrist |
| Yonkyo | Fourth hold. Sword grip on wrist |
| Gokyo | Fifth hold. Reverse grip on wrist |
| Rokyo (Hijishime) | Sixth hold. Elbow lock against the joint. |
Throws
| Irimi-nage | Entering throw. A throw involving entering through an attack to get behind your partner and take his balance. |
| Juji-nage | Throwing your partner by using leverage on his cross arms |
| Kaiten-nage | Rotary throw. A technique in which you force your partner to revolve his body once before you down him. |
| Kokyu-nage | Breath throw. Any sort of throw that relies essentially on blending and flowing with your partner\’s movement and upsetting his balance, rather than any specific movement. Often used for throws that have no specific name. |
| Koshi-nage | Hip throw. Throwing your partner by rotating his body over the back of your hips |
| Kote-gaeshi | Wrist turn out throw. A throw accomplished by twisting your partner\’s wrist. |
| Shiho-nage | Four directions throw |
| Tenchi nage | Heaven and earth throw. A pose in a throw; one of your hands raised as if you were pointing to the sky, the other down as if you were pressing on the earth. |
Other
| Ai | Harmony |
| Ai Hanmi | Equal stance. You and your partner stand facing each other in the same position. Opposite of Gyaku Hanmi. |
| Aiki Taiso | Aikido exercises |
| Aiki-ken | Swordsmanship; according to the principles of Aikido |
| Aikidoka | Aikido practitioner |
| Atemi | Defensive strike. Punches and other sorts of strikes to your partner\’s unguarded areas, designed to distract and to weaken the defenses and/or balance. |
| Boken | Wooden sword used in practice |
| Bushido | Warrior\’s code |
| Chudan | Middle area/position |
| Dan | Black Belt Grade |
| Dojo | Training hall |
| Dori | Grab |
| Dosa | An exercise |
| Fune kogi | A rowing motion |
| Gaeshi | To reverse |
| Gedan | Low area |
| Gi | Training uniform |
| Gyaku Hanmi | Opposite stance. Though facing each other, you and your partner are in reverse postures; that is, you are in the right hanmi, and he is in the left hanmi. |
| Hajime | Begin |
| Hakama | A divided pant-like skirt typically worn by black belts |
| Hanmi | Posture wherein one foot is advanced one step, body weight distributed evenly on both feet and in a triangular stance. It is very easy to move from this position. |
| Hanmi Handachi | Nage (thrower) is kneeling and opponent (attacker) approaches from a standing position |
| Hidhari | Left |
| Iaido | Japanese Art of Drawing a Sword |
| Irimi | To enter; entering. Without changing your direction you apply your technique on an opponent who is moving straight toward you; you must be careful to lead and to avoid a direct collision with his strength. |
| Jo | Wooden staff |
| Jodan | Upper area; high position |
| Jyu | Free style |
| Jyu Waza | Free style technique/practice |
| Katana | Long sword |
| Ki | The vital force of the body; Universal Energy; a stream or flow of positive energy |
| Kihon | Basic form of a technique |
| Kokyu | Breath power; the coordination of Ki flow with breathing |
| Kokyu Dosa | A method of off-balancing and pinning your partner with your \”Ki\” instead of your physical power |
| Kyu | Below black belt rank |
| Migi | Right |
| Nage | Technique initiator |
| Obi | Belt |
| Omote | Moving in front (Forward). Moving to or across the front of an opponent |
| Seiza | Formal Sitting (kneeling) posture |
| Sensei | Teacher |
| Shodan | Holder of the first grade black belt |
| Soto | Outer |
| Suwari Waza or Shikko | Sitting technique |
| Tai No Henko | The basic blending practice. Tenkan exercise |
| Tai Sabaki | Body movements |
| Tanto | Wooden knife |
| Tegatana | Hand blade. Sword edge of the hand |
| Tenkan | You turn your body from your opponent\’s line of attack, cause his strength to flow off wasted , move your body to a place where his strength is inactive and lead him. |
| Uchi | Inner |
| Uke | Technique initator\’s partner. The person who gives the attack and receives the technique. Generally speaking, \”uke\” refers to the person being thrown. |
| Ukemi | The art of receiving the technique and falling away from harm. Includes rolling and break falls (high falls). |
| Ura | Moving behind. Turning to the outside of uke (opposite of omote) |
| Ushiro | Back, behind, rear |
| Waza | Technique |
| Yamae | Stop |
| Yudansha | Black belt grade holder(s) |