Reference
Judo Glossary
The essential Japanese words a beginner hears in the dojo, each with how to say it and what it means in plain English. 147 terms across 12 categories.
Core Concepts
The big ideas that define Judo.
Roles
Who is who on the mat.
Dojo & Space
Where Judo is practiced.
Gear
The uniform and what you wear to train.
Commands & Calls
Words you hear at the start and end of training.
Movement & Breakfalls
Falling and moving with control.
Posture & Balance
How you stand and stay balanced.
Practice
Ways judoka train with a partner.
- RandoriFree practicerahn-doh-ree
- Kumi-kataGripping formkoo-mee-kah-tah
- Ai-yotsuSame-sided stanceeye yoht-soo
- Kenka-yotsuOpposite-sided stanceken-kah yoht-soo
- Tokui-wazaFavorite techniquetoh-koo-ee wah-zah
- KataPrescribed formkah-tah
- Nage-no-kataForms of throwingnah-geh noh kah-tah
- Katame-no-kataForms of grapplingkah-tah-meh noh kah-tah
- Renraku-wazaCombination techniquesren-rah-koo wah-zah
- Kaeshi-wazaCounter techniqueskah-eh-shee wah-zah
Ranks & Grades
How progress is recognized.
Throwing: Nage-waza
The phases and language of throws.
- Nage-wazaThrowing techniquesnah-geh wah-zah
- KuzushiBreaking balancekoo-zoo-shee
- Mae-kuzushiForward balance breakingmah-eh koo-zoo-shee
- Ushiro-kuzushiBackward balance breakingoo-shee-roh koo-zoo-shee
- Migi-kuzushiRight-side balance breakingmee-gee koo-zoo-shee
- Hidari-kuzushiLeft-side balance breakinghee-dah-ree koo-zoo-shee
- TsukuriEntry or fitting intsoo-koo-ree
- KakeExecutionkah-keh
- Uki-goshiFloating hip throwoo-kee-goh-shee
- O-goshiMajor hip throwoh-goh-shee
- Koshi-gurumaHip wheelkoh-shee goo-roo-mah
- Ippon-seoi-nageOne-arm shoulder throwee-pohn seh-oh-ee nah-geh
- Morote-seoi-nageTwo-hand shoulder throwmoh-roh-teh seh-oh-ee nah-geh
- Tsuri-komi-goshiLift-pull hip throwtsoo-ree koh-mee goh-shee
- Hidari-o-goshiLeft-side major hip throwhee-dah-ree oh-goh-shee
- O-soto-otoshiMajor outer dropoh-soh-toh oh-toh-shee
- De-ashi-baraiAdvancing foot sweepdeh-ah-shee bah-rye
- O-soto-gariMajor outer reapoh-soh-toh gah-ree
- BaraiSweepbah-rye
- GariReapgah-ree
- Ko-uchi-gariMinor inner reapkoh-oo-chee gah-ree
- O-uchi-gariMajor inner reapoh-oo-chee gah-ree
- Tai-otoshiBody droptie oh-toh-shee
- Tani-otoshiValley droptah-nee oh-toh-shee
- Harai-goshiSweeping hip throwhah-rye goh-shee
- Ashi-wazaFoot or leg techniquesah-shee wah-zah
- Koshi-wazaHip techniqueskoh-shee wah-zah
- Te-wazaHand techniquesteh wah-zah
- Yoko-sutemi-wazaSide sacrifice techniquesyoh-koh soo-teh-mee wah-zah
- Uchi-mataInner-thigh throwoo-chee mah-tah
- Ko-uchi-maki-komiSmall inner winding throwkoh oo-chee mah-kee koh-mee
- Sumi-gaeshiCorner reversalsoo-mee gah-eh-shee
- Uchi-mata-sukashiInner-thigh throw avoidanceoo-chee mah-tah soo-kah-shee
- Ma-sutemi-wazaRear sacrifice techniquesmah soo-teh-mee wah-zah
- Hiza-gurumaKnee wheelhee-zah goo-roo-mah
- Sasae-tsuri-komi-ashiSupporting lifting-pulling foot throwsah-sah-eh tsoo-ree koh-mee ah-shee
- Soto-maki-komiOuter winding throwsoh-toh mah-kee koh-mee
- Tomoe-nageCircle throwtoh-moh-eh nah-geh
- Okuri-ashi-baraiSliding foot sweepoh-koo-ree ah-shee bah-rai
- Ko-soto-gariSmall outer reapkoh soh-toh gah-ree
- Ko-soto-gakeSmall outer hookkoh soh-toh gah-keh
- Utsuri-goshiHip transferoo-tsoo-ree goh-shee
- Ashi-gurumaLeg wheelah-shee goo-roo-mah
- O-gurumaLarge wheeloh goo-roo-mah
- Yoko-gurumaSide wheelyoh-koh goo-roo-mah
- Ura-nageRear throwoo-rah nah-geh
- Seoi-otoshiShoulder dropseh-oh-ee oh-toh-shee
- Sode-tsuri-komi-goshiSleeve lifting-pulling hip throwsoh-deh tsoo-ree koh-mee goh-shee
- Yama-arashiMountain stormyah-mah ah-rah-shee
- Obi-otoshiBelt dropoh-bee oh-toh-shee
- Kubi-nageNeck throwkoo-bee nah-geh
- Tsubame-gaeshiSwallow countertsoo-bah-meh gah-eh-shee
- O-soto-gaeshiLarge outer counteroh soh-toh gah-eh-shee
- O-uchi-gaeshiLarge inner counteroh oo-chee gah-eh-shee
- Ko-uchi-gaeshiSmall inner counterkoh oo-chee gah-eh-shee
- Hane-goshiSpring hip throwhah-neh goh-shee
- Harai-goshi-gaeshiSweeping hip counterhah-rah-ee goh-shee gah-eh-shee
- Hane-goshi-gaeshiSpring hip counterhah-neh goh-shee gah-eh-shee
- Uki-otoshiFloating dropoo-kee oh-toh-shee
- Kata-gurumaShoulder wheelkah-tah goo-roo-mah
- Yoko-gakeSide hookyoh-koh gah-keh
- Uki-wazaFloating techniqueoo-kee wah-zah
Groundwork: Ne-waza
Pins and control on the ground.
- Ne-wazaGround techniquesneh-wah-zah
- Katame-wazaGrappling or control techniqueskah-tah-meh wah-zah
- Kansetsu-wazaJoint-lock techniqueskahn-set-soo wah-zah
- Ude-hishigi-juji-gatameCross arm lockoo-deh hee-shee-gee joo-jee gah-tah-meh
- Ude-garamiEntangled arm lockoo-deh gah-rah-mee
- Uki-gatameFloating holdoo-kee gah-tah-meh
- Ura-gatameReverse holdoo-rah gah-tah-meh
- Shime-wazaChoking techniquesshee-meh wah-zah
- Nami-juji-jimeNormal cross chokenah-mee joo-jee jee-meh
- Gyaku-juji-jimeReverse cross chokegyah-koo joo-jee jee-meh
- Kata-juji-jimeHalf cross chokekah-tah joo-jee jee-meh
- Osaekomi-wazaHolding techniquesoh-sah-eh-koh-mee wah-zah
- Kesa-gatameScarf holdkeh-sah-gah-tah-meh
- Kata-gatameShoulder holdkah-tah gah-tah-meh
- Yoko-shiho-gatameSide four-quarter holdyoh-koh shee-hoh gah-tah-meh
- Mune-gatameChest holdmoo-neh gah-tah-meh
- Tate-shiho-gatameVertical four-quarter holdtah-teh shee-hoh gah-tah-meh
- Gyaku-kesa-gatameReverse scarf holdgyah-koo keh-sah gah-tah-meh
- Kami-shiho-gatameUpper four-quarter holdkah-mee shee-hoh gah-tah-meh
- Ude-hishigi-hiza-gatameKnee arm lockoo-deh hee-shee-gee hee-zah gah-tah-meh
- Ude-hishigi-ude-gatameStraight arm lockoo-deh hee-shee-gee oo-deh gah-tah-meh
- Sankaku-wazaTriangular techniquessahn-kah-koo wah-zah
- Sankaku-gatameTriangular holdsahn-kah-koo gah-tah-meh
- Ude-hishigi-sankaku-gatameTriangular arm lockoo-deh hee-shee-gee sahn-kah-koo gah-tah-meh
- Sankaku-jimeTriangular chokesahn-kah-koo jee-meh
- Okuri-eri-jimeSliding collar chokeoh-koo-ree eh-ree jee-meh
- Koshi-jimeHip-assisted chokekoh-shee jee-meh
- Eri-jimeCollar chokeeh-ree jee-meh
- Ude-hishigi-waki-gatameArmpit arm lockoo-deh hee-shee-gee wah-kee gah-tah-meh
- Ude-hishigi-ashi-gatameLeg-assisted arm lockoo-deh hee-shee-gee ah-shee gah-tah-meh
- Hadaka-jimeNaked chokehah-dah-kah jee-meh
- Kata-ha-jimeSingle-wing chokekah-tah hah jee-meh
Scoring & Competition
Words heard around a match.
- ShiaiJudo match or contestshee-eye
- IpponFull pointee-pohn
- Waza-ariAlmost ipponwah-zah-ah-ree
- YukoSmall scoreyoo-koh
- Waza-ari awasete ipponTwo waza-ari combine to ipponwah-zah-ah-ree ah-wah-seh-teh ee-pohn
- OsaekomiHold-down is onoh-sah-eh-koh-mee
- ToketaHold-down is brokentoh-keh-tah
- ShidoPenaltyshee-doh
- Hansoku-makeDisqualificationhahn-soh-koo mah-keh
- Kiken-gachiWin by withdrawalkee-ken gah-chee