Kendo Terms for Beginners

CategoryJapanese TermEnglish TermPronunciation
TitleSenseiTeacher / InstructorSen-sei
SenpaiSomeone more senior than youSen-pi
KohaiSomeone more junior than youko-hi
Kendo Kaikendo participantsken-dou-kai
FormalityArigato gozaimashitaThank you very muchah-le-ga-to go-zai-i-ma-she-ta
ReiTo bowrey
Onegaishimasu Please let me practice with youOn-ne-ga-i-shi-ma-tsu
EquipmentShinaiBamboo Weapon used to represent the wordshi-nai
keiko-gikendo jacketdo-gi
Hakamakendo pantsha-ka-ma
BoguKendo armorbo-gu
InstructionsSeizaSitting positionSei-za
SonkyoCrouching positionSong-ki-yo
Mokusomeditationmo-ku-so
Suburishinai swinging exercisesu-bu-li
Targets & PracticeMenHeadmen
Kotewrist (right)ko-tae
Dotorsodou
Kamaeready to take action postureka-mai
Kiaivolcal expression of spiritki-aii
Ki-ken-tai no ichithe oneness of spirit sword and bodyki-ken-tai yi-chee
Issoku-itto-no-maaione step on hit distanceyi-so-ku yi-to-no maii
Maaidistance between you and your opponentmy-ai
CountingIchi1yi-chi
Ni2ni
San3san
Shi4shi
Go5go
Roku6lo-ku
Shichi7shi-chi
Hachi8ha-chi
Kyu9ke-yu
Jyu10j-yu