Ki o tsuke

気をつけ

Attention

Chakuza

着座

Be seated / take a seat (in seiza)

Seiza

正座

seated kneeling position, sitting on the soles of your feet

Shoumen ni

正面に

Face the Shoumen (front of the dojo)

Sensei ni

先生に

Towards sensei (Instructors)

Otagai ni

お互いに

Towards eachother

Rei

礼

Bow

Onegai shimasu

お願いします

Please, said with sincerity to beseech each other for an earnest practice

Arigatou gozaimashita

ありがとうございました

Thank you, said with sincerity to thank each other for practice

Men

面

A strike to the top of the head

Kote

小手

A strike to the foremost wrist

Dou

胴

A strike to the torso

Tsuki

突き

A stab to the throat area

Seme

攻め

Pressure, A concept that entails all facets of overcoming your opponent

Kiai

気合

A type of yell or shout meant to show one’s spirit

Ki ken tai icchi

気剣体一致

Performing a strike with the spirit (kiai), body, and sword unified in one motion

Zanshin

残心

A continuing presence maintained after a strike

Kiri kaeshi

切り返し

A series of men strikes performed as a basic drill

Sonkyou

蹲踞

A squatting position taken before and after initiating keiko

Nuketou

抜け刀

“Drawing” the shinai out from your hip

Jouge buri

上下振り

Large straight swings meant to loosen the arms/shoulders

Naname buri

斜め振り

Large angled swings meant to loosen the arms/shoulders

Matawari

股割り

A wide squatting stance meant to train the legs during suburi

Zenshin kotai

前進後退

Back and forth swinging

Shoumen uchi

正面打ち

Straight swings to the men

Sayuumen uchi

左右面打ち

Angled swings to the men

Yon kyodo men

四挙動面

“4 step men”, as the leader calls out step forward once, strike men, step back twice

Shin kokyuu

深呼吸

Deep sequential breathing

Osametou

収め刀

Return the shinai to your hip

Suri ashi

すり足

The sliding motion of one’s feet used in all the various footwork

Ayumi ashi

歩み足

Moving along the floor by alternating one’s feet in front of the other

Okuri ashi

送り足

Moving along the floor by “sending” one’s foot out – front and back feet do not switch

Hiraki ashi

開き足

An “opening”/diagonal step meant counter an incoming strike from an opponent

Fumikomi ashi

踏み込み足

A forward stepping of the right foot, in most cases with the stomping motion, coordinated with the strike of one’s shinai

Tsugi ashi

継ぎ足

An advanced footwork where one subtly moves their back foot up before striking

Mawari keiko

回り稽古

Rotational practice. After each drill/keiko, we step to the side to face a new partner

Jigeiko

地稽古

Free practice. Each kenshi practices with whoever they like

Sutemi

捨て身

Attack with no regard to self

Ichibyoshi

一拍子

One beat/breath

Tame

溜め

Accumulation of tension, pressure before a strike

Mittsu no sen

三つの先

The "3 initiatives" for an attack: before your opponent strikes, after your opponent strikes, or before your opponent moves to strike

San Sappo

三殺法

The "3 kills", or ways to overcome your opponent: kill the sword, kill the technique, or kill the spirit

Ai ki

合気

Meeting an opponents sprit with your own

Kime

決め

Decision, or acting decisively

Shikai

四戒

The "4 poisons" of kendo: Surprise, Fear, Doubt, Confusion

Mae

前

Front. Commencing from a kneeling position, forestalling a frontal attack

Ushiro

後ろ

Rear. Commencing from a kneeling position, forestalling an attack from the rear

Ukenagashi

受け流し

Receive, Parry and Cut. Commencing from a kneeling position, parrying an attack from the left

Tsuka-ate

柄当て

Striking with the Hilt. Commencing from a raised knee, seated position, forestalling two attackers, front and rear

Kesagiri

袈裟切り

Diagonal Cut. Commencing from a standing position, forestalling an approaching attacker

Morote-zuki

諸手突き

Two-Hand Thrust. Commencing from a standing position, forestalling three approaching attackers, two in front and one behind

Sanpōgiri

三方切り

Three Direction Cut. Commencing from a standing position, forestalling three approaching attackers, one each to the right, left and front

Ganmen-ate

顔面当て

Hit to the Face. Commencing from a standing position, forestalling two approaching attackers, front and rear

Soete-zuki

添え手突き

Joined Hand Thrust. Commencing from a standing position, forestalling an attack from the left

Shihōgiri

四方切り

Four Direction Cutting. Commencing from a standing position, forestalling four approaching attackers

Sōgiri

総切り

Complete Cuts. Five different and complete cuts. Commencing from a standing position

Nukiuchi

抜き打ち

Sudden Draw. Avoid, then respond to an attack from the front. Commencing from a standing position

Shohattō

初発刀

Also called Mae 前, cut to the front

Satō

左刀

Also called Hidari 左, cut to the left

Utō

右刀

Also called Migi 右, cut to the right

Ataritō

当刀

Also called Ushiro 後, cut to the rear

In’yō Shintai

陰陽進退

Also called Yaegaki 八重垣, dealing with two enemies, yin and yang retreat

Ryūtō

流刀

Also called Ukenagashi 受流し, men block then cut to opponent as he passes, cut the opponent’s saya and side of the abdomen

Juntō

順刀

Also called Kaishaku 介錯, Seppuku assistant not for public demonstration

Gyakutō

逆刀

Also called Tsukekomi 附込, men block while looking up at the opponent, deep men cut, todome thrust

Seichūtō

勢中刀

Also called Tsukikage 月影, elbow cut

Korantō

虎乱刀

Also called Oikaze 追風, walking cut

Battō

抜刀

Also called Nukiuchi 抜打, cut from seiza

In’yō Shintai Kaewaza

陰陽進退替手

Also called Sunegakoi 脛囲, yin and yang retreat exchange movement with only one opponent

Yokogumo

横雲

Horizontal clouds

Toraissoku

虎一足

Tiger’s one step

Inazuma

稲妻

Thunder rolls

Ukigumo

浮雲

Floating clouds

Yamaoroshi

山颪

Downhill storm

Iwanami

岩浪

Waves against the rocks

Urokogaeshi

鱗返

Scaling off

Namigaeshi

浪返

Backwash waves

Takiotoshi

滝落

Waterfalls

Nukiuchi

抜打

Sudden attack, also called Joi-uti (punishment ordered by the boss), a very common assassinating technique

Kasumi

霞

Mist or rainbow. One man sitting in front of you, continuous cuts

Sunegakoi

脛囲

Knee covering. Block your knee first, then cut

Shihogiri

四方切

Attacking the enemies coming from four directions. First a stab, then cuts

Todume

户詰

Two men sitting before you, cut them one by one

Towaki

户脇

One is behind and another is in front of you. First attack the behind and then front

Tanashita

棚下

Hide yourself under a hovel, crawl out, then attack

Ryodume

両詰

Similar to Tanashita, first a stab, then cut

Torabashiri

虎走

Tiger run. Stand up, run forward in quick small steps and cut, run backward in quick small steps and cut

Ikidure/Yukidure/Yukitsure 1

行連1

Going side by side (Escort). There are two men in the both side you, walking together. Maybe you are arrested by them, trying to escape

Ikidure/Yukidure/Yukitsure 2

行連2

Variations of ikidure/yukidure 1

Turedati

連達

Going together. (Escort) There are one in front right and the other back left. stab the back left one then cut the front right

Somakuri

惣捲

Sougiri in seitei iai was based on this; continuous attack, wind sword around to smash surrounding enemies

Sodome

総留

Enemies are coming towards on a narrow path; continuous one-hand cuts

Shinobu

信夫

Also called Yami-uti (attack in the darkness). Approach your victim from his behind in the dark, slowly, quietly, use the tip of the sword to tap on the ground to divert his attention, then strike from the opposite side

Ikitigai / Yukichigai

行違

Two persons coming towards in a row, first strike the front, stab the behind, then cut the front

Sodesurigaeshi

袖摺返

Enemy behind a crowd, draw your sword, push away the crowd using your elbows and cut the target

Mon-iri

門入

Enter the gate, lower yourself, stab the first coming one with great power one-hand, then cut the behind and front ones

Kabezoi

壁添

Opponent by a wall, cut with sword up and down within the limited space

Ukenagashi

受流

Receive and redirect opponent’s attack

Itomagoi 1

暇乞 1

Farewell 1. While saying good bye by bowing, suddenly draw out your sword, then swing it vertically onto the opponent’s head, smash at one stroke, before he notices what happens. Farewells are supposed to be a modification of Nukiuchi. Farewell 1 bow slightly by lowering your head only and draw sword immediately using both hands

Itomagoi 2

暇乞 2

Farewell 2. Bow deeper by two hands touching the ground briefly then draw the sword the second right hand fingers touch the ground

Itomagoi 3

暇乞 3

Farewell 3. Bow deepest with hands on the ground and head down; this will hide your sword drawing action from your opponent