Kendo | Bunpro

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Kendo

Vocab Deck | Created by cafelatte | 119 Vocab Items | <10

Vocabulary commonly used in kendo! PLEASE NOTE - Vocabulary in this deck is not complete due to not all words and commands being in dictionaries - Definitions offered are not always the most relevant ones. Where the word does exist in the database but the only definition is spurious (such as in the case of kiriotoshi) I have opted not to include it. The main purpose of this deck is to improve recognition of the term itself, so I recommend using the translate function and manual checking to ensure you prioritise kendo-related connections, rather than bunpro throwing all the uses of words at you.

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Basics

竹刀（しない）

bamboo sword (for kendo), bamboo fencing stick

胴（どう）

trunk, torso, body, abdomen, waist, plastron (in kendo), touching the plastron (kimari-te in kendo), frame (of a drum, etc.), sound box (of a shamisen, etc.), hull (of a ship)

剣道（けんどう）

kendo, swordmanship, fencing, way of the sword

道着（どうぎ）

uniform worn in martial arts (judo, kendo, etc.)

剣道場（けんどうじょう）

地稽古（じげいこ）

training by two participants of the same skill level (kendo)

籠手（こて）

gauntlet (used in Kendo), bracer, fencing glove

面（めん）

face, mask, face guard, (in kendo) striking the head, surface (esp. a geometrical surface), page, aspect, facet, side, chamfer, counter for broad, flat objects, levels or stages, e.g. in a video game

打突（だとつ）

剣道着（けんどうぎ）

kendo gi, kendo uniform

稽古（けいこ）

practice, practising, training, study

一本（いっぽん）

one long cylindrical thing, one film, TV show, etc., one goal, home run, etc., one telephone call

素振（すぶ）り

practice-swinging (sword, bat, tennis racket, etc.)

足（あし）さばき

footwork (in martial arts, sports, etc.)

一足一刀（いっそくいっとう）

distance in sword combat where approaching one more step allows hitting one's opponent

先生（せんせい）

teacher, master, doctor

相手（あいて）

companion, partner, company, other party, addressee, opponent (sports, etc.)

木刀（ぼくとう）

防具（ぼうぐ）

guard, protector, defensive armament, personal armor (armour)

初段（しょだん）

first rank in the senior class (in martial arts, go, etc.), lowest rank, one dan

段（だん）

step, stair, (flight of) steps, (row of) stitches, columns (of print), grade, rank, level, counter for breaks in written language (or speech, etc.)

級（きゅう）

class (e.g. school), grade, rank

紐（ひも）

string, cord, man who is financially dependent on a woman (such as a gigolo or, in the case of a prostitute, a pimp), pimp

師範（しはん）

instructor, (fencing) teacher, model

元立（もとだ）ち

receiver (of an attack during kendo practice)

技（わざ）

technique, art, skill

型（かた）

model, type (e.g. of machine, goods, etc.), type, style, pattern, mold (mould), template, model, kata (standard form of a movement, posture, etc. in martial arts, sport, etc.), form (i.e. customary procedure), size (i.e. clothing, shoes), (taxonomical) form

打（う）つ

to hit, to strike, to beat, to slap, to pound, to mark, to type

鍔（つば）

guard (on a sword)

袴（はかま）

hakama, man's formal divided skirt

手（て）ぬぐい

垂（た）れ

sauce (esp. soy or mirin-based dipping sauce), hanging, something hanging (flap, lappet, etc.), (kendo) loin guard, kanji radical enclosing the top-left corner of a character, -ass, -head

剣（けん）

sword (originally esp. a doubled-edged sword), sabre, saber, blade, bayonet, swordsmanship, stinger, ovipositor, dart

刀（かたな）

突（つ）き

thrust, stab, lunge, pass (in fencing)

Dojo Terms

These are instructions/instruction-related words you might hear in the dojo

正面（しょうめん）

front, frontage, facade, main

掃除（そうじ）

cleaning, sweeping, dusting, scrubbing

終（お）わり

起立（きりつ）

着座（ちゃくざ）

気（き）をつけ

(stand to) attention!

上席（じょうせき）

seniority, precedence, upper seat

左右（さゆう）

left and right, influence, control, domination

左（ひだり）

left, left hand side

右（みぎ）

right, right hand side

前（まえ）に

ahead, before, ago

上段（じょうだん）

upper tier, upper section, upper deck, upper row, upper step, upper grade, upper berth, top shelf

下段（げだん）

lower tier, lower step, lower column, lower berth, bottom shelf

攻（せ）め

attack, offence, offense, dominant partner of a homosexual relationship, a barrage of, a flood of

礼法（れいほう）

etiquette, courtesy, manners

始（はじ）め

beginning, start, outset, opening, first (in line, etc.), origin, such as ..., not to mention ...

構（かま）え

structure, construction, appearance, posture (e.g. in martial arts), pose, stance, readiness, determination, preparedness, kanji enclosure type radical (must enclose at least two sides of the kanji)

黙想（もくそう）

meditation, silent contemplation

納（おさ）め

the last, the end, the closing, offering (as a prefix)

整列（せいれつ）

standing in a row, forming a line, alignment

正座（せいざ）

seiza, kneeling with the tops of the feet flat on the floor, and sitting on the soles

蹲踞（そんきょ）

crouching, formal crouch performed at the beginning of a sumo or kendo match

帯刀（たいとう）

wearing a sword

休（やす）め

(stand) at ease!

一歩（いっぽ）下（さ）がる

to take a step backward

呼吸（こきゅう）

breath, respiration, knack, trick, secret (of doing something)

右（みぎ）へ倣（なら）え

follow the person to your right (command to form a line), following someone's example, imitating someone, following suit

交代（こうたい）

alternation, change, relief, relay, shift, substitution (sports, etc.), taking turns

気合（きあい）

scream, yell, fighting spirit

中段（ちゅうだん）

half-way up a slope or stairway, landing, center of three (horizontal) columns (of print) (centre)

お互（たが）いに

mutually, with each other, reciprocally, together, both

残心（ざんしん）

continued alertness, unrelaxed alertness, remaining on one's guard, being prepared for a counterstroke

間合（まあ）い

interval, distance, break, pause, suitable time, appropriate opportunity, distance between opponents (kendo)

切（き）り返（かえ）し

counterattack, slashing back

礼（れい）

thanks, gratitude, manners, etiquette, bow, reward, gift, ceremony, ritual

Shiai Vocabulary

Words you might hear in a competition

試合場（しあいじょう）

venue (for judo, kendo, etc.), (boxing) ring

試合（しあい）

match, game, bout, contest

審判（しんぱん）

refereeing, trial, judgement, judgment, umpire, referee

延長（えんちょう）

extension, elongation, prolongation, lengthening, Enchou era (923.4.11-931.4.26)

反則（はんそく）

foul play (sport), breaking the rules, infringement, irregularity

引（ひ）き分（わ）け

draw (in competition), tie game

判定（はんてい）

judgement, judgment, decision, adjudication, award, verdict, determination

時間（じかん）

勝負（しょうぶ）あり

we have a result!, game over!, match!

別（わか）れ

parting, separation, farewell, (lateral) branch, fork, offshoot, division, section

大会（たいかい）

convention, tournament, mass meeting, rally

Waza and Kata

Terms for various techniques. Unfortunately some waza are missing.

抜（ぬ）き技（わざ）

counterattack while evading the opponent's attack (kendo)

体当（たいあ）たり

ramming attack, hurling oneself (at), throwing oneself into (e.g. a role), going all out

つばぜり合（あ）い

locking sword to sword (in a duel) and pushing

返（かえ）し技（わざ）

counterattack, reversal technique

引（ひ）き技（わざ）

pulling techniques

出鼻（でばな）

projecting part (of a headland, etc.)

払（はら）い

payment, bill, account, sweeping, clearing away, sweeping stroke (e.g. when writing kanji)

連続技（れんぞくわざ）

すり足（あし）

sliding feet, shuffling (one's feet)

歩（あゆ）み足（あし）

ayumi-ashi, walking forwards or backwards with a sliding motion (kendo)

打（ぶ）つかり

collision, bumping into

仕掛（しか）け

device, contrivance, mechanism, gadget, trick, trap, calculated manipulation, gambit, (small) scale, half finished, commencement, initiation, set up, laying out, preparation, challenge, attack

踏（ふ）み込（こ）み

dealing fully (with), going into (issue, etc.), stepping into, breaking or rushing into, alcove

打（う）ち込み（こみ）

driving, pounding in, shooting into, implantation, invasion

Beyond basics

Words I hear often in kendo but are not necessarily basic info or kata etc

基本（きほん）

foundation, basis, standard

無段者（むだんしゃ）

person who has not attained a dan rank (in martial arts, go, etc.)

木剣（ぼっけん）

bokken, wooden sword

剣術（けんじゅつ）

(art of) fencing, swordsmanship

ゼッケン

cloth bib displaying a competitor's number, athlete's number

面（めん）がね

metal bars of a face guard (kendo)

真（ま）っ直（す）ぐ

straight (ahead), direct, upright, erect

斜（なな）め

slanting, tilted, sloping, diagonal, oblique, unusual, slanted (view of the world), bad (mood)

ぐっと

suddenly, at once, in one go, with a jerk, with a gulp, considerably, very much, a lot, firmly, with an effort, tightly, exerting pressure, completely (e.g. at a loss), deeply (e.g. moved)

しっかり

tightly (holding on), firmly, securely, strongly (built), solidly, sturdily, steadily, properly, well, sufficiently, hard (working, etc.), fully, completely, reliably, dependably, levelheadedly, shrewdly, wisely, cleverly

ずっと

continuously in some state (for a long time, distance), throughout, all along, the whole time, all the way, always, much (better, etc.), by far, far and away, far away, long ago, direct, straight, really, very

ずつ

apiece, each, at a time, piecemeal

一眼（いちがん）二足（にそく）三胆（さんたん）四力（しりき）

firstly vision, secondly footwork, thirdly courage, fourthly technique (the most important aspects of kendo)

全日本（ぜんにほん）剣道（けんどう）連盟（れんめい）

All Japan Kendo Federation

国際剣道連盟（こくさいけんどうれんめい）

International Kendo Federation

稽古着（けいこぎ）

training clothes (judo, kendo, etc.), practice suit

着装（ちゃくそう）

wearing, putting on

反復（はんぷく）

repetition, iteration, recursion, recurrence, recapitulation

腰（こし）

back, lower back, waist, hips, lumbar region, body (of hair, noodle, paper, etc.), resilience, spring

掛（か）け声（ごえ）

shout (of encouragement, etc.), yell (used to time or encourage activity, e.g. 'Heave ho!')

太刀（たち）

long sword (esp. the tachi, worn on the hip edge down by samurai), large sword, straight single-edged Japanese sword (from the mid-Heian period or earlier), guandao, Chinese glaive

審査（しんさ）

judging, inspection, examination, investigation, review

手（て）の内（うち）

palm (of one's hand)

絞（しぼ）る

to wring (towel, rag), to squeeze, to squeeze (fruit to extract juice), to press, to extract, to milk, to express milk, to rack (one's brains), to strain (one's voice), to extort, to exploit, to chew out, to reprimand severely, to rake over the coals, to give a sound scolding, to tell someone off, to scold, to rebuke, to drill into, to train, to narrow down (one's focus), to whittle down, to gather up (curtain, etc.), to tighten (drawstring), to stop down (lens), to turn down (e.g. radio), to bend (bow), to draw, to hold down, to constrict, to immobilize

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