Judo Terminology Glossary

264 judo terms with English translations — every throw, pin, choke, referee call, and dojo word on the official USJA rank exam. Tap any term for a word-by-word breakdown.

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The building blocks

Judo names are modular. Learn these 44 little words and technique names stop being memorization and start being reading:

All terms A–Z

A

• Anza — Sitting cross-legged
• Ashi — Foot
• Ashi garami — Leg Entanglement
• Ashi Guruma — Foot Wheel throw
• Ashi Waza — Foot or leg techniques
• Awasete Ippon — Half-point added makes full point!
• Ayumi-ashi — Normal walking

B

• Basami — Scissor
• Batsugun — Instantaneous promotion
• Bujutsu — Martial arts
• Bushido — Way of the warrior

C

• Chui — Caution!

D

• Dan — Step or degree in the Black Belt Judo ranks
• De Ashi Harai — Advanced Foot Sweep throw
• Do — Way of life
• Do jime — Trunk Lock
• Dojo — Practice hall for Judo

E

• Eri — Judo uniform lapel

F

• Fusegi — Defense
• Fusen-gachi — Win by forfeit or default of the opponent before a match

G

• Gake — To dash the opponent while throwing
• Garami — Entangle
• Gari — Reap
• Gatame — Lock or hold
• Godan — 5th degree Black Belt
• Gokyo no Waza — Five stages of technique, the basic syllabus of Kodokan Judo
• Gokyu — Fifth class Judo rank
• Guruma — Wheel
• Gyaku — Reverse
• Gyaku Juji Jime — Reverse Cross Choke

H

• Hachidan — 8th degree Black Belt
• Hadaka Jime — Naked Strangle
• Hajime — Begin!
• Hane — To spring
• Hane Goshi — Springing Hip throw
• Hane Makikomi — Springing Wrap Around Throw
• Hansoku-make — Loss by violation of the rules!
• Hantei — Decision!
• Happo no Kuzushi — Forms of off-balancing
• Harai — Sweep
• Harai Goshi — Sweeping Hip throw
• Harai Tsurikomi Ashi — Sweeping Foot Stop throw
• Hidari — Left
• Hikiwake — Draw Match!
• Hishigi — Crush
• Hiza — Knee
• Hiza Guruma — Knee Wheel throw
• Hon — Fundamental or basic

I

• Ikkyu — First class Judo rank
• Ippon — One point!
• Itsutsu no Kata — Forms of five

J

• Jigo — Defensive
• Jigo Hontai — Fundamental defensive posture
• Jime — Choke or strangle
• Jita Kyoei — Mutual benefit and welfare
• Joseki — Side of the practice or tournament mat reserved for highest-rank judo players or officials
• Ju — The principle of gentleness or giving way
• Ju no Kata — Formal forms of gentleness
• Judan — 10th degree Black Belt
• Judogi — Judo uniform
• Judoka — Judo player
• Juji — Cross
• Junbi-undo — Warm-up exercises in Judo
• Junidan — Twelfth degree Black Belt

K

• Kachi — Win of any type
• Kachinuki Shiai — “Winner stays out” team contest
• Kaeshi-waza — Counter technique
• Kaiten — Rolling
• Kake — Execution
• Kami Shiho Gatame — Upper Corners Hold
• Kani Basami — Flying Scissors throw
• Kappo — Forms of resuscitation used in Judo
• Kata — Form practice
• Kata Gatame — Shoulder Hold
• Kata Guruma — Shoulder Wheel throw
• Kata Ha Jime — Single Shoulder Choke
• Kata Juji Jime — Half Cross Choke
• Kata te jime — One Hand Choke
• Katame no Kata — Formal forms of holding
• Katame Waza — Grappling techniques
• Kawazu Gake — Illegal entwining of the leg in the Major Outside Reaping throw
• Keiko — Practice in general
• Keikoku — Warning!
• Kesa Gatame — Scarf Hold
• Ki — Internal force or spiritual energy
• Kiai — Shout to gather inner strength
• Kibisu Gaeshi — Heel trip reversal
• Kiken-gachi — Win by withdrawal of the opponent during a match
• Kime — Decision
• Kime no Kata — Formal forms of self-defense
• Kinsa — Slight superiority!
• Kiotsuke — Attention!
• Ko — Little or minor
• Ko Soto Gake — Minor Outside Dashing throw
• Ko Soto Gari — Little Outside Reaping throw
• Ko Uchi Gari — Little Inside Reaping throw
• Koho Ukemi — Back falls
• Komi — Pull
• Koshi / Goshi — Hip or waist
• Koshi Guruma — Hip Wheel throw
• Koshi Waza — Waist or hip techniques
• Koshiki no Kata — Ancient forms
• Kuchiki Taoshi — Dead tree drop
• Kudan — 9th degree Black Belt
• Kumi Kata — Forms of gripping one's opponent
• Kuzure — Modified
• Kuzure Kami Shiho Gatame — Modified Upper Corners Hold
• Kuzure Kesa Gatame — Modified Scarf Hold
• Kuzure Yoko Shiho Gatame — Modified Side Hold
• Kuzushi — Off balance

M

• Ma — Direct or flat
• Maitta — I surrender!
• Make — Loss of any type
• Makikomi — Winding pull while throwing
• Mata — Thigh
• Matte — Stop!
• Migi — Right
• Morote — Two-handed
• Mudansha — Holder of any rank below Black Belt

N

• Nage — Throw
• Nage no Kata — Formal forms of throwing
• Nage Waza — Throwing techniques
• Nagekomi — Alternate throwing practice without resistance
• Nami — Normal
• Nami Juji Jime — Normal Cross Choke
• Ne-waza no hairi-kata — Entry methods into mat work
• Nidan — 2nd degree Black Belt
• Nikyu — Second class Judo rank
• Nogare — Escape

O

• O — Big or major
• O Goshi — Major Hip throw
• O Guruma — Large Wheel
• O Soto Gari — Major Outside Reaping throw
• O Soto Guruma — Large Outer Wheel
• O Uchi Gari — Major Inside Reaping throw
• Obi — Belt
• Okuri Ashi Harai — Sliding Foot Sweep throw
• Okuri Eri Jime — Sliding Lapel Choke
• Osaekomi — Hold-down!
• Osaekomi Waza — Holding techniques
• Otoshi — Drop

R

• Randori — Free practice
• Rei — Bow!
• Renraku-waza — Combination or faking techniques
• Ritsurei — Standing bow
• Rokkyu — Sixth class Judo rank
• Rokudan — 6th degree Black Belt
• Ryote jime — Two Hand Choke

S

• Sandan — 3rd degree Black Belt
• Sankaku jime — Triangular Choke
• Sankyu — Third class Judo rank
• Sasae — Lower prop
• Sasae Tsurikomi Ashi — Foot Stop throw
• Seiryoku Zenyo — Maximum efficiency
• Seiza — Sitting on the knees
• Sensei — Teacher
• Seoi — Shoulder
• Seoi Nage — Shoulder Throw
• Shiai — Tournament
• Shiaijo — Contest area
• Shichidan — 7th degree Black Belt
• Shido — Note!
• Shihan — Past master of Judo
• Shiho — Corners
• Shime Waza — Choking techniques
• Shimpan — Referee
• Shintai — Body movement
• Shisei — Posture in general
• Shizen — Natural
• Shizen Hontai — Fundamental natural posture
• Shodan — First degree Black Belt
• Shumatsu-undo — Cooling-off exercises in Judo
• Sode — Judo uniform sleeve
• Sode guruma jime — Sleeve Wheel Choke
• Sogo-gachi — Combination win by one-half point from opponent's penalty and one-half point from a score
• Sono-mama — Don't move!
• Sore-made — Time is up!
• Sotai Renshu — Practice in pairs
• Soto — Outside
• Soto Makikomi — Outer Wrap Around Throw
• Sukashi — Avoiding or evasive action
• Sukoshi — A little
• Sukui Nage — Scooping Throw
• Sumi Gaeshi — Corner Throw
• Sumi Otoshi — Corner drop
• Suri — To slide
• Suri-ashi — Sliding foot walking
• Sutemi — Sacrifice
• Sutemi Waza — Sacrifice techniques

T

• Tai — Body
• Tai Otoshi — Body Drop throw
• Tai-sabaki — Pivoting or turning the body
• Tandoku Renshu — Pantomime practice
• Tani — Valley
• Tani Otoshi — Valley Drop
• Tatami — Straw Japanese Judo mats
• Tate Shiho Gatame — Straddling Hold
• Te — Hand
• Te Waza — Hand techniques
• Tentori Shiai — Man-for-man, or elimination tournament
• Toketa — Hold-down broken!
• Tokui-waza — Favorite technique
• Tomoe — Circle
• Tomoe Nage — Circle Throw
• Tori — The attacker
• Tsubame Gaeshi — Swallow-flight counter throw
• Tsukkomi jime — Thrust Choke
• Tsukuri — Entry
• Tsuri — Lift
• Tsuri Goshi — Lifting Hip throw
• Tsurikomi Goshi — Lifting Pulling Hip throw

U

• Uchi — Inside
• Uchi Mata — Inner Thigh throw
• Uchikomi — Repetition attack practice without throwing, done in pairs
• Ude — Arm
• Ude Garami — Arm Crushing Bent Arm Lock
• Ude hishigi ashi gatame — Leg Arm Lock
• Ude hishigi hara gatame — Stomach Arm Lock
• Ude hishigi hiza gatame — Knee Arm Lock
• Ude Hishigi Juji Gatame — Arm Crushing Cross Arm Lock
• Ude hishigi sankaku gatame — Triangular Arm Lock
• Ude hishigi te gatame — Hand Arm Lock
• Ude Hishigi Ude Gatame — Arm Crushing Normal Arm Lock
• Ude hishigi waki gatame — Armpit Arm Lock
• Uke — The defender
• Ukemi — Falling methods or ways
• Uki — To float
• Uki gatame — Floating Hold
• Uki Goshi — Floating Hip throw
• Uki Otoshi — Floating Drop
• Uki Waza — Floating Throw
• Undo — Exercises in general
• Ura — Reverse side, back
• Ura gatame — Back Hold
• Ura Nage — Rear throw
• Ushiro — Rear
• Ushiro Goshi — Back Hip Throw
• Ushiro Kesa Gatame — Rear Scarf Hold
• Utsuri Goshi — Changing Hip Throw
• Uwagi — Judo uniform jacket

W

• Waki — Armpit
• Waki Gatame — Arm Pit Lock
• Waza — Technique
• Waza-ari — Almost one point!
• Waza-ari Awasete Ippon — A point by adding two half points

Y

• Yama Arashi — Mountain Storm throw
• Yodan — 4th degree Black Belt
• Yoko — Side
• Yoko Gake — Side Body Drop
• Yoko Guruma — Side Wheel
• Yoko Otoshi — Side Drop throw
• Yoko Shiho Gatame — Side Hold
• Yoko Sutemi Waza — Side-falling sacrifice techniques
• Yoko Wakare — Side Separation
• Yonkyu — Fourth class Judo rank
• Yoshi — Continue!
• Yudansha — Holder of any Black Belt rank
• Yudanshakai — Black Belt Judo association
• Yuko — Almost one-half point!
• Yusei-gachi — Win by decision!

Z

• Zarei — Kneeling bow
• Zempo Kaiten Ukemi — Front Rolling falls
• Zempo Ukemi — Forward falls
• Zori — Sandal