Basic Japanese For Judoka
See Also More Basic Japanese For Judoka
This page is all about Basic Japanese words and basic greeting Japanese and the basic Japanese phrase for judo instruction, your judo technique and throwing technique.

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Traditionally, Japanese is written from top to bottom, starting in the upper right-hand corner. But it's also written horizontally and from left to right.
The Japanese characters consist of three different sets of writing forms: Kanji, Hiragana, and Katak.
Kanji: Japanese adopted characters and vocabulary from the Chinese in 5th century (although they're unrelated grammatically). These Chinese characters are called Kanji. The Japanese government has approved a basic list of 1850 characters to be mastered by grade 9.
There are close to 50,000 Kanji characters that exist
Hiragana: There are 46 Hiragana characters. These are used for writing authentically Japanese words, and also often for particles and endings of words spelled in Kanji.
Katakana: Often used for writing English and other foreign words and names in Japanese. All characters of Hiragana and Katakana represent one syllable.
Some Basic Japanese Expression

Pronunciation:
a = as in father, America
e = as in education, edge
i = as in easiest
o = as in old, oath
u = as in pull,full
(pronounce as oo in soon)
English | Japanese |
yes | hai |
no | iie |
please | dozo |
thank you | arigato |
thank you very much | domo arigato |
you're welcome | do itashi-mashite |
good morning | ohayo gozaimasu |
good afternoon | kon nichiwa |
good evening | kon banwa |
good night | oyasumi nasai |
good bye | sayonara |
Numbers

English | Japanese |
one(1) | ichi |
two (2) | ni |
three (3) | san |
four (4) | shi (yon, yo) |
five (5) | go |
six (6) | roku |
seven (7) | shichi (nana) |
eight (8) | hachi |
nine (9) | ku (kyu) |
ten (10) | ju |
eleven (11) | ju-ichi |
twelve (12) | ju-ni |
thirteen (13) | ju-san |
fourteen (14) | ju-shi |
twenty (20) | ni-ju |
twenty-one (21) | ni-ju-ichi |
thirty (30) | san-ju |
fifty (50) | go-ju |
hundred (100) | hyaku |
thousand (1000) | sen |
Basic Japanese for Judoka

English | Japanese |
training hall | dojo |
knee | hiza |
standing in a crouched defensive position | Jigotai |
upper seat, front seat | jo-seki |
gentle way | judo |
judo suit | judogi |
judoist | judoka |
cross | Juji |
countering technique | kaeshi waza |
throw | Kake |
upper body | Kami |
shoulder / model technique | kata |
Judo Headquarters - Tokyo, Japan | Kodokan |
hip | koshi |
modified (hold) | kuzure |
breaking the opponent's balance | kuzushi |
surrender; to give up | Maitta |
wait | matte |
right (direction) | migi |
chest | mune |
throwing technique | nage waza |
grappling techniques | Newaza |
major: great | O |
belt | obi |
sliding | Okuri |
holding: immobilization; hold is on and time is to begin | Osaekomi |
hold is broken and time should stop | Osaekomi toketa |
holding technique | Osaekomi- waza |
drop down | Otoshi |
free practice | randori |
combination technique | renraku waza |
teacher, instructor | sensei |
bow to the teacher | sensei ni rei |
competition | shiai |
professor | Shihan |
four corners | Shiho |
strangle; choke technique | shime waza |
body control | tai sabaki |
mat | tatami |
person initiating technique | Tori |
person receiving technique | uke |
technique | waza |
stop | yame |
side | yoko |
Terms used by Referees

English | Japanese |
Warning | Chui |
begin: first | Hajime |
call For Decision(Used When Referee Can't Decide Winner) | Hantai |
one point (in competition) | ippon |
Severe caution | Keikoku |
win Due To Withdrawal Of Injured Opponent | Kiken Gachi |
Almost Yuko | Koka |
Loss | Make |
meditation | mokuso |
cease Meditation | Mokuso Yame |
Contest | Shiai |
Minor warning | Shido |
Stay as you are | Soromama |
half point (in competition) | waza-ari |
addition Of Two Waza Ari (Ippon) | Wazaari-awasete-ippon |
win by superiority | Yusei-gachi |