Essential Kendo Terminology
| Japanese | English | |
| Numbers | ||
| Ichi | One | |
| ni | two | |
| san | three | |
| si | four | |
| go | five | |
| roku | six | |
| sichi | seven | |
| hachi | eight | |
| ku | nine | |
| zyu | ten | |
| nizyu | twenty | |
| sanzyu | thirty | |
| yonzyu | forty | |
| gozyu | fifty | |
| nanazyu | seventy | |
| hachizyu | eighty | |
| kuzyu | ninty | |
| one hakyu | one hunderd | |
| Rei | Etiquette/Manner | |
| Rei | Bow | |
| shomen ni rei | bow to front(in Japan, there is shinsa) | |
| sensei ni rei | bow to sensei | |
| sogo ni rei | bow to each other | |
| serei | line up | |
| seiza | sit down | |
| mokuso | meditation | |
| tachiai | beginning ritual of duel | |
| onegai shimasu | thank to your help to training (in kendo) | |
| ari gato gozai mashita | thank you so much (past tense) | |
| ritsu rei | standing etiquette | |
| za rei | sitting etiquette | |
| kihon | Basic | |
| waza | technique | |
| ashi | foot | |
| suri ashi | sliding foot | |
| Fumikomi ashi | stomping foot | |
| ayumi ashi | alternating foot | |
| ashi sabaki | footwork | |
| tai sabaki | body movement | |
| shinai sabaki | shinai movement | |
| kensen | tip of shinai | |
| monouchi | 1/3 of top shinai | |
| yuko datotzu | valid strike | |
| ippon | one point | |
| shobu | win/lose | |
| zyushin | center | |
| Kamae | position/posture | |
| chudan Kamae | middle position | |
| jodan kamae | up position | |
| gedan kamae | low position | |
| seme | pressure | |
| Kihon | Baic | |
| suburi | swinging in air | |
| joge | up down | |
| joge suburi | up down swing | |
| zenshin kotai | forward backword | |
| shomen | front straight men uchi | |
| sayu men | left right men uchi | |
| zenshin kotai shomen | forward backword front straight men | |
| haya suburi | fast suburi | |
| Men | head | |
| Kote | wrist | |
| Doh | Waist | |
| Tsuki | throat | |
| Men Uchi | Men Strike | |
| Kote Uchi | Kote Strike | |
| Doh Uchi | Doh Strike | |
| kiai | Loud voice | |
| ki | spirit/voice | |
| ken | sword | |
| tai | body | |
| ichi | one, together | |
| ki-ken-tai-ichi | voice-sword-body together | |
| hajime | start | |
| yame | stop | |
| Shinsa | promotion | |
| Shiai | tournament | |
| maai | distance | |
| toh maai | far distance | |
| isokuito maai | one foot one sword distance | |
| chika maai | close distance | |
| uchi maai | hitting distance | |
| tzubazeriai | distance of two tsuba meet each other | |
| Keiko | training | |
| Kihon Keiko | Basic training | |
| Uchikomi Keiko | strike training | |
| Kakari Keiko | continous strike training | |
| Ji Keiko | free sparring | |
| hitori Keiko | yourself only training(1 person training) | |
| ma wari keiko | rotating keiko | |
| Waza | technique | |
| Renzoku waza | continous (striking) technique | |
| nidan waza | two continous (striking) technique | Kote-Men |
| suriage | deflect/slide/brush upward | kote suriage men |
| otoshi | dropping off | doh uchi otoshi men |
| kaeshi | receive and return | men kaeshi doh |
| hiki waza | close distance technique | |
| ozzi waza | receiving technique | |
| debana waza | opponent about to come, hitting technique | debana men |
| ai-kote | opponent hit kote, kote-men | |
SSK Jersey City Kendo