| Category | Japanese Term | English Term | Pronunciation |
| Title | Sensei | Teacher / Instructor | Sen-sei |
| Senpai | Someone more senior than you | Sen-pi |
| Kohai | Someone more junior than you | ko-hi |
| Kendo Kai | kendo participants | ken-dou-kai |
| | | |
| Formality | Arigato gozaimashita | Thank you very much | ah-le-ga-to go-zai-i-ma-she-ta |
| Rei | To bow | rey |
| Onegaishimasu | Please let me practice with you | On-ne-ga-i-shi-ma-tsu |
| | | |
| Equipment | Shinai | Bamboo Weapon used to represent
the word | shi-nai |
| keiko-gi | kendo jacket | do-gi |
| Hakama | kendo pants | ha-ka-ma |
| Bogu | Kendo armor | bo-gu |
| | | |
| Instructions | Seiza | Sitting position | Sei-za |
| Sonkyo | Crouching position | Song-ki-yo |
| Mokuso | meditation | mo-ku-so |
| Suburi | shinai swinging exercise | su-bu-li |
| | | |
| Targets & Practice | Men | Head | men |
| Kote | wrist (right) | ko-tae |
| Do | torso | dou |
| Kamae | ready to take action posture | ka-mai |
| Kiai | volcal expression of spirit | ki-aii |
| Ki-ken-tai no ichi | the oneness of spirit sword and
body | ki-ken-tai yi-chee |
| Issoku-itto-no-maai | one step on hit distance | yi-so-ku yi-to-no maii |
| Maai | distance between you and your
opponent | my-ai |
| | | |
| Counting | Ichi | 1 | yi-chi |
| Ni | 2 | ni |
| San | 3 | san |
| Shi | 4 | shi |
| Go | 5 | go |
| Roku | 6 | lo-ku |
| Shichi | 7 | shi-chi |
| Hachi | 8 | ha-chi |
| Kyu | 9 | ke-yu |
| Jyu | 10 | j-yu |