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A Glossary of Korean and Japanese Martial Arts Terms

April 16, 2008

ai – (Jap.) Blending, harmony, joining or union. (Syn.- hap)aiki – (Jap.) Unity of force and will.

budo – (Jap.) “Martial way”; martial arts practice for self-improvement.

bunkai – (Jap.) Application of technique, especially in forms.

chung – (Kor.) Blue (used in sparring).

dan – (Jap., Kor.) Degree or grade. Often indicated by black belt.

do – (Jap., Kor.) A suffix meaning “way” or path.

dobak – (Kor.) A training uniform. (Syn.- gi)

dojang – (Kor.) A training hall, also called a “house of discipline”. (Syn.- dojo)

dojo – (Jap.) Literally, “way place”. A training hall. (Syn.- dojang)

gu-mahn – (Kor.) Command to stop.

gi – (Jap.) A training uniform. (Syn.- dobak)

gup – (Kor.) A category of rank for those students below black belt.

hapkido – (Kor.) Way of coordinated power.

hong – (Kor.) Red (used in sparring).

hosinsool – (Kor.) Self-defense applications.

hyung – (Kor.) Pre-arranged pattern of movement. (Syn.- kata, poomse)

ju – (Jap.) Suppleness, flexibility, or yielding.

judo – (Jap.) Yielding way.

jutsu, jitsu – (Jap.) Art or technique.

kae sok – (Kor.) Command to continue.

karate – (Jap.) Empty hand.

karate-do – (Jap.) Modern budo form of karate.

kata – (Jap.) Formal, pre-arranged patterns of movement. (Syn.- hyung)

ki – (Jap.) Force or energy.

kiai – (Jap.) Focused or concentrated force; also a controlled yell.

ki-hap – (Kor.) Same as kiai.

kumite – (Jap.) Free-style sparring.

kwanjangnim – (Kor.) Master instructor, fifth dan or higher.

kyong-ye – (Kor.) Command to bow.

kyorugi – (Kor.) Free-style sparring.

kyosanim – (Kor.) Senior or higher-ranked student.

kyu – (Jap.) A grade of rank below black belt. (Syn.- gup)

sabumnim – (Kor.) Instructor. (Syn.- sensei)

senpai, sempai – (Jap.) One’s senior in the training hall. (Syn.- kyosanim)

sensei – (Jap.) “One who has gone before”; a teacher. (Syn.- sabumnim)

si-jak – (Kor.) Command to begin.

tae kwon do – (Kor.) The art of kicking and punching.

te – (Oki.) Hand. Name for old Okinawan striking arts.

yudansha – (Jap.) Graded student, first dan and above; holder of a black belt.

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