Counting in Japanese

   Ich -one

   Ni - two

   San - three

   Shi - four

   Go - five

   Roku - six

   Shichi - seven

   Hachi - eight

   Ku -nine

   Ju - ten

Terminology

Arm lock

The legitimate application of pressure to an opponent's elbow joint to gain a submission.

Body drop

A common throw where a judoka, having turned forward to the left so the left foot is outside the opponent's left foot, places the right forearm under the opponent's left armpit, moves the right foot to the outside of the opponent's right foot so the leg is beneath the opponent's right knee and throws the opponent forward over the right outstretched leg; also called "tai-oshi".

Bout

A contest between two judo competitors.

Choke hold

Any legitimate judo hold where the main component is choking or strangling an opponent by encircling the neck with an arm, the legs or the lapels; also called a "strangle hold".

Chui

A serious penalty awarded against a judoka for an offence, giving the opponent a yuko.

Contest area

The eight-metre-square mat area where the competition occurs.

Cross arm lock

A common arm lock where a judoka lies on the back at right angles to the opponent, controlling the opponent's left arm between both legs while the left foot is under the opponent's right shoulder, the right leg is over the opponent's throat, and the opponent's left elbow is lying on the judoka's abdomen, then stretches the opponent's left arm and bends the elbow back; also called "ude-hishigi-juji-gatame".

Dan

A grade of black belt.

Danger zone

The one-metre red area that borders the contest area and alerts judoka that they are nearly out of bounds.

Entangled arm lock

A common arm lock where a judoka lies to the right side of the opponent with the chest on the opponent's chest, grips the opponent's left wrist with the left hand, passes the other arm beneath the opponent's bent left arm and grips his or her own left wrist, then raises the opponent's left elbow and pulls the opponent's left wrist toward himself or herself; also called "ude-garami".

Hadaka-jime

A common strangle or choke hold where the judoka chokes the opponent from behind, pressing the right forearm to the front of the opponent's neck with the front inside edge of the wrist on the throat; also called a "naked strangle".

Hajime

The referee's command to start a judo bout.

Half cross strangle

A common strangle or choke hold where a judoka strangles the opponent from the front by grasping the opponent's lapels with crossed hands (the top hand with the thumb inside the lapel) and pulling the opponent toward himself or herself; also called "kata-juji-jime".   

Hansoku-make

A disqualification awarded against a judoka for an offence, giving the opponent an "ippon", or automatic victory.

Harai-goshi

A common throw where a judoka turns forward to the left with the back toward the opponent, places the right hip against the opponent's abdomen, draws the opponent's upper body onto his or her back, then sweeps the opponent's leg up and backward with the right thigh and throws the opponent forward; also called a "sweeping hip".

Heavyweight

A judo weight division for men weighing more than 100kg and women weighing more than 78.

Hidari

Left

Inner thigh

A common throw where a judoka, having turned forward to the left with the back toward the opponent, swings the right leg between the opponent's legs to sweep against the inside of the opponent's left thigh, then bends over and throws the opponent forward; also called "uchi-mata".

Ippon

One point scored in a single manoeuvre to win a bout, either by throwing the opponent onto his or her back with force, speed and control, by holding an opponent for 25 seconds or by gaining submission to a strangle hold or armlock.

Judogi

A competitor's judo uniform, consisting of loose-fitting pants and jacket and a belt tied at the waist.

Judoka

One or more practitioners of judo.

Kata-juji-jime

A common strangle or choke hold where a judoka strangles the opponent from the front by grasping the opponent's lapels with crossed hands (the top hand with the thumb inside the lapel) and pulling the opponent toward himself or herself; also called a "half cross strangle".

Kami-shiho-gatame

A common hold-down where a judoka approaches the opponent from behind and over the head, pins the opponent's arms to the sides and grips the opponent's belt on each side of the waist; also called an "upper four-comers hold".

Keikoku

A grave penalty awarded against a judoka for an offence, giving the opponent a waza-ari, or half-point.

Kesa-gatame

A common hold-down where a judoka lies across the opponent's upper body from the side, encircles the opponent's neck with the right arm and holds the opponent's other arm tightly under his or her left armpit; also called a "scarf hold".

Koka

A minor score, rated less than a yuko and given to a judoka for either completing a throw with only one of the four scoring criteria for an ippon or holding an opponent for 10 to 15 seconds.

Kyo

A set of throws.

Lightweight

A judo weight division where the maximum is 73kg for men and 57 for women.

Major inner reap

A common throw where a judoka sweeps the opponent's left leg off the ground by using the back of the right leg from the inside in a semi-circular motion; also called "o-uchi-gari".

Major outer reap

A common throw where a judoka steps forward to the left with the left foot and, using the back of the right leg, sweeps the opponent's right leg off the ground from behind; also called "o-soto-gari".

Matte

The referee's command to stop a bout temporarily.

Migi

Right

Nage-waza

Throwing technique or techniques.

Naked strangle

A common choke or strangle hold where a judoka chokes the opponent from behind, pressing the right forearm to the front of the opponent's neck with the front inside edge of the wrist on the throat; also called "hadaka-jime".

Ne-waza

The act of grappling with the opponent in an attempt to secure a legitimate hold.

Obi

The belt worn by practitioners of judo.

Osaekomi

The referee's command to begin timing a hold.

Osaekomi-toketa

The referee's command to stop timing a hold.

O-soto-gari

A common throw where a judoka steps forward to the left with the left foot and, using the back of the right leg, sweeps the opponent's right leg off the ground from behind; also called a "major outer reap".

O-uchi-gari

A common throw where a judoko sweeps the opponent's left leg off the ground by using the back of the right leg from the inside in a semi-circular motion; also called a "major inner reap".

Reap

To sweep an opponent's legs from under him or her.

Safety zone

The three-metre-wide outer area of the competition area, which is out of bounds.

Scarf hold

A common hold-down where a judoka lies across the opponent's upper body from the side, encircles the opponent's neck with the right arm and holds the opponent's other arm tightly under his or her left armpit; also called "kesa-gatame".

Seoi-nage

A common throw where a judoka turns forward to the left with the back to the opponent, bends the knees and inserts the right forearm under the opponent's armpit, then throws the opponent to the front over the right shoulder; also called a "shoulder throw".

Shido

A minor penalty awarded against a judoka for an offence, whereby the opponent scores a koka.

Shoulder throw

A common throw where a judoka turns forward to the left with the back to the opponent, bends the knees and inserts the right forearm under the opponent's armpit, then throws the opponent to the front over the right shoulder; also called "seoi-nage".

Side four comers hold

A common hold-down where a judoka lies on the stomach at right angles to the opponent with the upper body over the opponent's upper body, places the right arm between the opponent's legs and grips the belt from underneath, then passes the left arm under the opponent's neck and grips the opponent's jacket on the left shoulder while bringing the right knee into the opponent's right hip; also called "yoko-shiho-gatame".

Sono-mama

The referee's command to freeze, with the judoka stopping all action and holding their positions.

Soremade

The referee's command to end a bout.

Strangle hold

Any legitimate judo hold where the main component is strangling or choking an opponent by encircling the neck with an arm, the legs or the lapels; also called a "choke hold".

Sweeping hip

A common throw where a judoka turns forward to the left with the back toward the opponent, places the right hip against the opponent's abdomen, draws the opponent's upper body onto his or her back, then sweeps the opponent's leg up and backward with the right thigh and throws the opponent forward; also called "harai-goshi".

Tai-oshi

A common throw where a judoka, having turned forward to the left so the left foot is outside the opponent's left foot, then places the right forearm under the opponent's left armpit, moves the right foot to the outside of the opponent's right foot so the leg is beneath the opponent's right knee and throws the opponent forward over the right outstretched leg; also called a "body drop".

Tatami

The vinyl-covered foam mats that make up the competition area in judo.

Tori

The judoka on the offensive.

Uchi-mata

A common throw where a judoka, having turned forward to the left with the back toward the opponent, swings the right leg between the opponent's legs to sweep against the inside of the opponent's left thigh, then bends over and throws the opponent forward; also called an "inner thigh".

Ude-garami

A common armlock where a judoka lies to the right side of the opponent with the chest on the opponent's chest, grips the opponent's left wrist with the left hand, passes the other arm beneath the opponent's bent left arm and grips his or her own left wrist, then raises the opponent's left elbow and pulls the opponent's left wrist toward himself or herself; also called an "entangled armlock".

Ude-hishigi-juji-gatame

A common armlock where a judoka lies on the back at right angles to the opponent, controlling the opponent's left arm between both legs while the left foot is under the opponent's right shoulder, the right leg is over the opponent's throat, and the opponent's left elbow is lying on the judoka's abdomen, then stretches the opponent's left arm and bends the elbow back; also called a "cross armlock".

Uke

The judoka on the defensive.

Upper four comers hold

A common hold-down where a judoka approaches the opponent from behind and over the head, pins both of the opponent's arms to the sides and grips the opponent's belt on each side of the waist; also called "kami-shiho-gatame".

Waza

Technique

Waza-ari

A half-point, awarded for either a throw meeting three scoring criteria or holding the opponent for 20 seconds.

Yoko-shiho-gatame

A common hold-down where a judoka lies on the stomach at right angles to the opponent with the upper body over the opponent's upper body, places the right arm between the opponent's legs and grips the belt from underneath, then passes his or her left arm under the opponent's neck and grips the opponent's jacket on the left shoulder while bringing the right knee into the opponent's right hip; also called a "side four comers hold".

Yoshi

The referee's command to continue a bout after a stoppage.

Yuko

Meaning "almost waza-ari", a score given to a judoka for either completing a throw which has two of the four scoring criteria for an ippon or holding an opponent for 15 to 20 seconds.