Basic Stick-fighting Terminology

Basic Bojitsu (Stick Fighting) Terms

bo or kon	a wooden staff or long stick, used as a weapon
chukon-bu	centre-point of bo
eda	branch or short stick, about 6 in. (15 cm) long
hakkaku bo	eight-sided bo
hanbo	a short jo, about 3 ft. (90-125 cm) long
ido kihon	basics (level III)
jo	short wooden staff about 4-5 ft. (120-150 cm) in length, originally a walking stick
jutte	a forked iron truncheon
kai, eku or ekku	oar
kaku bo	four-sided bo
kihon	basics (level I)
kotei kihon	basics (level II)
kontei	end of bo
kyu shaku bo	9 ft. (280 cm) bo
maru bo	round bo
naginata	halberd
nana shaku bo	7 ft. (215 cm) bo
rokkaku bo	six-sided bo
roku shaku bo	a 6 ft. (180-200 cm) bo
take-bo	bamboo bo
tessen jutsu	iron-ribbed fan techniques
yari	spear
yon shaku bo	4 ft. (125 cm) bo

Bo Nigiri (Holding the stick)

gyaku nigiri	reverse hold, both palms facing down on the bo, about a shoulder-width apart, with the bo held horizontally
hasami nigiri	palm hold, holding the bo vertically and gripping with the thumbs, one hand even with the forehead, one at the waist, both palms facing the ceiling
jun nigiri	basic hold, right palm facing up, left palm down on the bo, about a shoulder-width apart, with the bo about 45° across the body
yose nigiri	double hold, both hands, baseball-bat style, towards one end of the bo

Basic Movements

daisha-mawashi	large circular movement
hachiji mawashi	"figure-eight" movement
hidari no kamae	stepping forward with the right foot or stepping backward with the left foot
hira ichimonji no kamae	hachiji dachi, with the bo held in both hands, palms down and parallel to the ground
kata-sukashi	under-arm grip
kata-te tsuki	one-hand thrust
kote uchi omote	striking the wrist, outside the attack
kote uchi ura	striking the wrist, inside the attack
mawashi kote uchi omote	rotating the stick and strike the wrist, outside the attack
mawashi kote uchi ura	rotating the stick and strike the wrist, inside the attack
naname mae omote waki uchi	moving diagonally forward outside an attack and striking to the attacker’s side
naname mae ura waki uchi	moving diagonally forward inside an attack and striking to the attacker’s side
naname ushiro omote waki uchi	moving diagonally back outside an attack and striking to the attacker’s side
sukuiage sunakake	sweeping
tsuki	thrusting
uchi-otoshi	overhead strike
ushiro dori	back grab

Uke Kata (Blocking)

age uke	upper side block
gyaku age uke	reverse upper side block
gyaku harai uke	reverse lower side or downward block
harai uke	lower side or downward block
mae uke	vertical block,
morote age uke	double-handed upward block
morote otoshi uke	double-handed downward block
morote sokumen uke	double-handed sideways block
morote ushiro uke	double-handed backwards block
osae uke	bar or pinning maneuver
tate uke	vertical block
yoko uchi uke	outside to inside block
yoko uke	inside to outside block

Uchi (Strikes)

gedan uchi or gedan soto uchi	low strike
gyaku gedan uchi or gedan uchi barai	reverse low strike
gyaku yoko uchi	reverse side strike
gyaku zuki	reverse thrust
ichimonji mawashi	overhead twirl into a side strike
mae mawashi	overhead twirl into a downward strike
morote uchi	double-handed thrust
nagashi zuki	sliding thrust
naname-age-uchi	diagonal side strike to the face
soburi	striking exercise
tsuki kata	thrusting or poking
tsuki komi	two-handed thrust
tsuki otoshi	reverse downward thrust
uchi age	upward strike
uchi kata	striking
uchi otoshi	overhead strike
yoko-uchi	side strike or striking
yose nigiri uchi	double hold overhead strike

Techniques against Fist Attacks

eda koppo	attacking the (wrist) bones with a (short) stick
ganseki otoshi	"dropping a big rock" throw
ganseki otoshi garami	"dropping a big rock" – entangling technique
ganseki otoshi makikomi	"dropping a big rock" – enfolding technique
gyaku ude garami	entangling the reversed arm
kata-te nage ommote	one-hand throw, outside
kata-te nage ura	one-hand throw, inside
kocho dori	"catching a butterfly"
koshi ori	breaking the hip
kyokutsu kudaki	crushing the sternum
oni kudaki	"crushing the devil" (arm lock)
ryo-ashi dori	seizing both legs
tsuke iri	inserting the stick between the attacker’s arm and body

Techniques against Foot Attacks

Techniques against Wrist Holding

hon-gyaku jime	main reverse constriction
kasumi uchi	striking the temple
katame kujiki	pressing and wrenching
kata-te kime	constricting one hand
kote gaeshi	turning the wrist over
kyojitsu	feinting
ryo-te dori	seizing both hands
ryufu	"dragon wind" (arm-bar/take-down)
shibari koshi ori	tying up and breaking the hip
take ori	"breaking bamboo" (wrist lock)
tsure dori	arresting hold
ude gaeshi	turning the arm over
ude garami	entangling the arm
ude garami omote	entangling the arm, outside
ude gatame gyaku zeoi	pressing the arm, reverse shoulder throw
ude kujiki	wrenching the arm

Techniques against Sleeve and Lapel Holding

do gaeshi	throw by pressure on the body
ganseki dome	"stopping a big rock" (short stick arm-bar/take-down)
gyaku zeoi	shoulder throw on reversed arm
hiki otoshi	pulling down
hiki taoshi	pulling and throwing down
kataginu	arm-bar/take-down
nage kaeshi	throwing down
ryo-te garami dori	seizing and entangling both hands
uchi taoshi	pulling and throwing down
uko arashi	attacking the neck
yoko kujiki	side wrenching
ysuki otoshi	striking down

Techniques against Seizure from Behind

benkei dori	seizing the inside of the shinbone
taiboku taoshi	"throwing down a big tree" double-leg take-down
tawara taoshi	"throwing down a rice bale" hold-break
ushiro dori tsuke iri	seizure from behind, attaching and entering

Techniques against Stick Holding

awase nage	meeting throw
bo gaeshi	changing direction of the stick
koku	"empty space" counter-attack from grab
tomoe gaeshi, ashi dori osae	throwing in a circle, seizing and pressing the leg

Immobilizations

Styles

Aragaki Ryu	Kukishin Ryu
Matsumura Ryu	Toyama Ryu

Bo-jitsu Kata (Forms)

Compiled by Jay Collins, Grand River Karate