Iaido Terms

Basic Terms
Domo arigato gozaimashitaThank you (said among trainees at the end of the course)
DozoPlease (pass/go on)
SumimasenExcuse me (to give attention eg while trying to drive through a crowd)
Yame/OwariStop
HaiYes


Levels and Titles
SokeHead of School (art / sword)
SenseiInstructor, teacher
SempaiOlder student (anyone who has started iaido before you)
KohaiNewer student (anyone who has started iaido after you)
DanLevel (Black belt) 1 to 10
YuudanshaMembers with dan
IaidokaPerson who practises in Iaido


Events
EmbuDemonstration
KeikoPractise
TaikaiEvent matches
ShinsaExams for dan


Bows
Shinzen ni reBow in kamiza (the original is shrine). (said by the sempai)
Sensei ni reiBowing to the teacher / teachers
MokusoClose the eyes, meditation (said by the teacher)
To ReiBow to the sword
NaoreiAs you were


Cuts
Kesa giriDiagonal cutting with downward direction
Katate kesagiriDiagonal cutting with one hand
Morote kesagiriDiagonal cutting with two hands
KirioroshiCutting vertically with downward direction
NukitsukePulling the sword from the sheath
Furi kaburiRaising the sword over the head"
Sune gakoiBlocking to protect the leg (shin)
Tsuki«Nailing»
Yoko ichi monjiHorizontal cut
TameshigiriTest cutting (not done in iaido of Eishin Ryu)


Iaido Terms
SeizaKneeling (the way we sit)
BattoUpright position
MetsukeLook
SayabikiMovement of the sheath of the sword
ChiburiExpulsion of blood, cleaning the sword
O-chiburiLarge or circular chiburi
Yoko chiburiHorizontal chiburi, move sideways
NotoPosition the blade of the sword in the saya
HayaosameFaster version of the standard noto; performed during an advanced (oku) techniques (waza)
ShimeruTightness, turning the hands inward to grip the end of the cut
Tai sabakiBody movement
Ashi sabakiLegs movement
HaraBelly
KiaiVoice, cry
MaSpace in space and time
ZanshinAlert, observant, (the heart remains for long)
WazaTechnique
KataStructured exercise for two people; form or plot
ShidachiCompletion of the sword. Ends exercising of co-trainee
UchidachiIntroduction of the sword. The aggressor in practice with couples


Swords
Bokken/BokutoWooden Sword
IaitoSword Exercise for Iaido, not sharp or designed for tameshigiri
Shinken/HonmiSharp or «live» blade
KatanaJapanese sword with a blade upwards
TachiSword Legacy, with the blade down


Clothing
Iai-giExercise clothes for the upper body (not listed simply as gi in Japanese, which means «wear»)
MonstukiGarment for the upper body with long sleeves and mon (the emblem of the family)
JubanInner cloth worn under montsuki
HakamaBaggy pants with pleats (traditional type)


Numbers
IchiOne
NiTwo
SanThree
ShiFour
GoFive
RokkuSix
ShichiSeven
HachiEight
KyuNine
JuTen