Information | Practice | Equipment | Etiquette | Vocabulary Japanese Pronounciation a=ah i=ee u=oo e=eh o=oh Counting Ichi = 1 Ni = 2 San = 3 Shi = 4 Go = 5 Roku = 6 Shichi = 7 Hachi = 8 Kyu = 9 Ju = 10 Counting Kata Ippon Me = 1st Nihon Me = 2nd Sanbon Me = 3rd Yohon Me = 4th Gohon Me = 5th Ropon Me = 6th Nanahon Me = 7th Happon Me = 8th Kyuhon Me =9th Juppon Me = 10th IMPORTANT PHRASES AND COMMANDS Onegai shimasu - please (said before practicing, as you bow) Domo arigato gozaimasu - Thank you very much (said after you have practiced with someone, especially a senior instructor or sensei) Hai - yes Yoi - ready? Hajime - begin Yame - stop Seiza - sit (formally) Kyotsuke - prepare (for meditation) Mokuso - meditation Rei - bow Sensei ni rei - bow to the sensei Shomen ni rei - bow to the kamiza - flag or banner of the dojo Otagae ni rei - mutual bow to your partners Men tsuke - put on the men Men tore - take off the men Sonkyo - crouch with sword facing your partner/opponent Kamaete - take kamae (chundan no kamae) Osame to - means to take sonkyo, retract your shinai, stand up, take five steps back and bow. Basic Kendo Glossary Dojo - training hall, hall of discipline Hara - abdomen, the place where your mental and spiritual strength is centered Kata - practice where prearranged attacks and counter attacks are used. In kendo the wooden sword or bokken/bokuto is used. Katana - long sword Kiai - fighting ÇshoutÁ, coming form the hara Ki - spirit Kondansha - a high ranking kendoist Kodachi - short wooden sword used in kata Motodachi - receiver in sparring Mudansha - someone with no formal rank Shiai - match, combat Shitachi - receiver (this term is used in kata practice) Tsubaseriai - tsuba are in contact and shinai should be vertical, close fighting Uchidachi - attacker (this term is used in kata practice) Wakazashi - short sword Waza - technique Yudansha - ranking kendoist Zanshin - follow through, sustained awareness, continuing mind Tournament Vocabulary Hajime - Begin Yame - stop Hansoku - violation - ikkai - first violation - nikkai - second violation = one point against you Wakare - separate, come to chudan no kamae without returning to center of the court, wait for the judge to say hajime - resume combat Men ari - men point scored and stop Kote ari - kote point scored and stop Do ari - do point scored and stop Tsuki ari - tsuki point scored and stop Nihon Me - second match point, begin Shobu - both sides have one point, match point, begin Shobu ari - match won Shimpan - judge Ippon Shobu - one point match Sambon Shobu - three point match Encho - extension/overtime - who ever makes the next point wins Hikiwake - tie/draw Team Tournament Positions Sempo - 1st Jiho - 2nd Chuken - 3rd Fukusho - 4th Taisho - 5th Three person teams will consist of Sempo, Chuken, Taisho TYPES OF MAAI - distance or space that is created between two individual fencers. When two fencers prepare to engage in a match after taking the sonkyo position they stand up and take one of five kamae (noted above) from which to begin a bout (keiko) or match (shiai). The chudan no kamae is the most common form of readiness, but the three types of maai discussed below apply to all forms of readiness and is important during all aspects of kendo practice and combat. Issoku itto no ma: is the distance at which one can attack or avoid attack in one single step. This maai is also called uchima or stroke interval. When properly executed from chudan no kamae the tips of the shinai or boken of each facing individual should overlap by about 1 inch from the tip (kissaki). To-ma: this term refers to a distance slightly greater than issoku itto no ma from the opponent. From this position it is difficult to make a clean attack and it is also easier for the opponent to block and counter attack. From to-ma it is necessary to close the distance by a small step (tsugi-ashi) that brings one into the position of issoku itto no ma. From this closer position it is then possible to attack in one swift movement. Chika-ma: this is a very difficult and dangerous maai position to take and requires utmost concentration and quick reaction. This position is much closer than issoku itto no ma and if an opening presents itself one can attack and strike men, kote, tsuke or do without making significant forward movement. Copyright © 2007 University of Wisconsin Kendo Club. Please direct any questions, comments, concerns to the webmaster.